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Carolina  Collection  (in  Wilson  Library)  for  renewal. 


Form  No.  A-369 
UNCPS/51498/ 1.2011 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/intracoastalwateOOunit 


63d  CONGRESS    :        1st  SESSION 

APRIL  7- DECEMBER  1,  1913 


HOUSE  DOCUMENTS 


Vol.  4 


WASHINGTON  :  :,  GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE  :  ;  1913 


HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  j^™ 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY 

BEAUFORT,  N.  C„  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA., 
SECTION 


LETTER  FROM 
THE  ACTING  SECRETARY  OF  WAK 

TRANSMITTING, 

WITH  A  LETTER  FROM  THE  CHIEF  OF 
ENGINEERS,  REPORT  ON  SURVEY  OF  THE 
BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA., 
SECTION  OF  THE  PROPOSED  CONTINUOUS 
INLAND  WATERWAY  FROM  BOSTON,  MASS., 
TO  THE  RIO  GRANDE 


September  11,  1913. — Referred  to  the  Committee  on  Rivers  and  Harbors 
and  ordered  to  be  printed,  with  illustrations 


WASHINGTON 
1913 


c 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

Letter  of  the  Acting  Secretary  of  War  4   7 

Letter  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army   9-11 

Report  of  the  Board  of  Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors: 

On  10-foot  depth   11-17 

On  7-foot  depth  17-18 

Report  of  the  special  Board  of  Engineer  officers: 

The  order  convening  the  board   18 

Section  I. 

Statement  of  the  problem  involved  18-19 

Section  II. 

THE  COUNTRY  TRAVERSED. 

General  description  of  the  coast: 

Beaufort-Cape  Fear   19 

Cape  Fear-Winy  ah  Bay   19 

Winyah  Bay-St.  Johns  River   19 

St.  Johns  River-Jupiter  Inlet   19-20 

Jupiter  Inlet-Biscayne  Bay   20 

Biscayne  Bay-Key  West   20 

Section  III. 

ALTERNATIVE  ROUTES. 

1.  Beaufort-Cape  Fear: 

(a)  The  Kearney  line  20-21 

(b)  The  Phillips  interior  line   21 

(c)  The  Phillips  shore  line   21 

2.  Cape  Fear- Winy  ah  Bay: 

(a)"  The  Livingston  Creek-Juniper  Creek  line   21-22 

(6)  The  Town  Creek  line   22 

(c)  The  shore  line   22 

3.  Winyah  Bay-Charleston  Harbor  22-23 

4.  Charleston  Harbor-Savannah  River   23 

5.  Savannah  River-St.  Johns  River   23 

6.  £>t.  Johns  River-Indian  River: 

(a)  The  shore  line   23 

(b)  The  Crescent  Lake  route   23 

(c)  The  Lake  Harney  route,   23 

(d)  The  Lake  Shad  and  Salt  Lake  route  23-24 

7.  Indian  River-Biscayne  Bay   24 

8.  Biscayne  Bay-Key  Wesft   24 

Section  IV. 

DESCRIPTION  OP  ROUTE  AS  FINALLY  SURVEYED  AND  ADOPTED. 

if 

I      1.  Beaufort-Cape  Fear  River   24-26 

2.  Cape  Fear  River-Little  River   26-27 

U      3.  Little  River-Winyah  Bay   27-29 

^T*    4.  Winyah  Bay-Charleston  Harbor   29-30 

(Y^    5.  Charleston  Harbor-Savannah  River   31 

ri 


4  CONTENTS. 

Page. 

6.  Savannah  River-Fernandina   31-32 

7.  Fernandina-St.  Johns  River   33 

%.  St.  Johns  River-Indian  River: 

(a)  St.  Johns  River  section   33-34 

(b)  Salt  Run-Lakes  Ruth,  Shad,  and  Salt  Lake.   34 

(c)  Salt  Lake-Indian  River   34-35 

9.  Indian  River-Key  West: 

(a)  Indian  River-Jupiter  Inlet   35 

(b)  Jupiter  Inlet-Lake  Worth   35 

(c)  Lake  Worth-Hawk  Channel   35-36 

(d)  Hawk  Channel-Key  West  .   36 

10.  List  of  maps  submitted   3,36 

Section  V. 

ENGINEERING  CONSIDERATIONS. 

2.  Depth    36-38 

2.  Width  and  side  slopes   38 

3.  Structures: 

(a)  Locks   38 

(h)  Dams   38-39 

Ic)  Bridges   39 

(d)  Training  walls  and  breakwaters   39 

(e)  Beacons   39 

Section  VI. 

ESTIMATE  OF  COST. 

1.  Excavation   39-40 

2.  Structures: 

(a)  Locks   40 

lb)  Dams   40 

(c)  Training  walls   40 

Id)  Bridges   40 

(e)  Beacons   40 

(f)  Rights  of  way   40 

(g)  Contingencies   40 

General  estimates: 

Beaufort-Cape  Fear  River,  $4,336,000.   40-41 

Cape  Fear  River-Little  River,  $3,811,000   41 . 

Little  River-Winyah  Bay,  $6,330,000   41 

Winyah  Bay-Charleston  Harbor,  $2,645,000   42 

Charleston  Harbor-Savannah  River,.  $897 ,000   .42 

Savannah  River-Fernandina,  $437,000   42 

Ferdandina-St.  Johns  River,  $657,000   43 

St.  Johns  River-Indian  River,  $13,528,000   43 

Indian  River-Hawk  Channel,  $8,413,000   43-44 

Hawk  Channel-Key  West   44 

Summary  of  estimates,  $31,054,000   44 

Maintenance   44 

Section  VII 

COMMERCIAL,  NAVAL,  AND  MILITARY  UTILIZATION. 

%  Commercial: 

(a)  Local  zone  traffic   45 

The  North  Carolina  coast..   45-46 

The  South  Carolina  coast   46-47 

The  coast  of  Georgia   47 

The  Florida  coast   47-49 

(6)  Through  traffic   49 

Wilmington,  N.  C   49 

Charleston,  S.  C   -49-50 

Savannah  and  the  Georgia  ports   50 

Jacksonville,  Fla   50-51 

2.  Naval  and  military   51 


CONTENTS.  § 
Section  VIII. 

Page 

Recommendation  of  board   51-51 

Section  IX. 

Order  and  rate  of  prosecution  of  work   52 

Time  for  completion   52 

Program  of  appropriations,  recommended   52 

Section  X. 

Private  canals   5$ 

Section  XI. 

GENERAL  RECOMMENDATIONS. 

1.  Right  of  way   5% 

2.  Terminal  facilities   54 

3.  Water  power   54 

4.  Flood  control   54 

5.  Drainage   54-55 

6.  Legislation,  form  of,  recommended   5§ 

Estimate  for  canal  of  7-foot  depth   55-57 

Miscellaneous  papers  submitted  by  private  parties   57-67 

Index   69-74 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

[Printed  at  end  of  document.] 


Number. 

1.  General  map:  Boston,  Mass.-Rio  Grande,  Tex. 
Index  map: 

2.  Seacoast  and  inland  routes,  Beaufort  Inlet,  N.  C.-Little  River,  S.  C,  section. 

3.  Little  River  Inlet-Winyah  Bay  route,  S.  0. 

4.  Winyah  Bay-Charleston  Harbor,  S.  C,  route. 

5.  Charleston  Harbor,  S.  C.-Savannah  River,  Ga.,  route. 

6.  The  10-foot  project  of  existing  inland  waterway,  Savannah  River,  Ga.-Cumbep* 

land  Sound,  Ga.,  and  Fla. 

7.  St.  Johns-Indian  Rivers,  Fla.,  route;  Cumberland  Sound-St.  Johns  River. 

8.  St.  Johns-Indian  Rivers,  Fla.,  route;  St.  Johns  River. 

9.  St.  Johns-Indian  Rivers,  Fla.,  route. 

10.  St.  Johns-Indian  Rivers,  Fla.,  route;  Indian  River. 

11.  St.  Johns-Indian  Rivers,  Fla.,  route;  Indian  River-Lake  Worth. 

12.  St.  Johns-Indian  Rivers,  Fla.,  route;  Lake  Worth-Biscayne  Bay. 

13.  St.  Johns-Indian  Rivers,  Fla.,  route;  Biscayne  Bay-Upper  Matecumbe  Key* 

14.  St.  Johns-Indian  Rivers,  Fla.,  route;  Matecumbe  Key-Key  West,  Fla. 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


War  Department, 
Washington^  September  10,  WIS, 
The  Speaker  op  the  House  op  Representatives. 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  a  letter  from  the  Chief 
of  Engineers,  United  States  Army,  dated  August  11,  ultimo,  to- 
gether with  copies  of  reports,  with  illustrations,  from  a  special  board 
of  engineer  officers,  dated  July  1,  1911,  and  April  12,  1912,  on  a  sur- 
vey of  the  Beaufort,  N.  C.,  to  Key  West,  Fla.,  section  of  the  proposed 
continuous  inland  waterway  from  Boston,  Mass.,  to  the  Rio  Grande, 
made  by  it  in  compliance  with  the  provisions  of  the  river  and  harbor 
act  approved  March  3,  1909. 
Very  respectfully, 

J  Henry  Breckinridge, 

Acting  Secretary  of  War, 


REPORT  ON  INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY-BEAUFORT,  N.  CM 
TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.,  SECTION. 


War  Department, 
Office  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers, 

Washington,  August  11,  191$. 
From :  The  Chief  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  Army. 
To :  The  Secretary  of  War. 

Subject :  Survey  for  intra  coastal  waterway  from  Beaufort,  N.  C,  to 
Key  West,  Fla. 

1.  There  are  forwarded  herewith  for  transmission  to  Congress 
reports  dated  July  1,  1911,  and  April  12,  1912,  prepared  by  a  special 
board  of  engineer  officers,  in  accordance  with  a  provision  contained 
in  the  river  and  harbor  act  approved  March  3,  1909,  as  follows : 

Sec.  13.    *    *  * 

The  Secretary  of  War  is  hereby  authorized  and  directed  to  cause  preliminary 
examinations  and  surveys  to  be  made  at  the  localities  named  in  this  section,  as 
hereinafter  set  forth.    *    *  * 

******  * 

Survey  for  the  construction  of  a  continuous  waterway,  inland  where  practi- 
cable from  Beaufort,  North  Carolina,  to  the  Cape  Fear  River,  North  Carolina; 
thence  to  Winyah  Bay,  South  Carolina;  thence  to  Saint  Johns  River,  Florida; 
thence  to  Key  West,  Florida,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  cost  of  a  chan- 
nel with  a  maximum  depth  of  twelve  feet  or  such  lesser  depths  along  any  section 
or  sections  of  the  said  waterway  as  may  be  found  to  be  sufficient  for  commercial, 
naval,  or  military  purposes.  Such  survey  shall  include  an  examination  of  all 
practicable  routes,  the  preparation  of  plans  and  estimates  of  cost  along  the  most 
available  route,  and  a  report  upon  the  desirability  of  utilizing  as  a  part  of  such 
waterway  any  existing  public  or  private  canal,  or  any  part  thereof,  and  the 
probable  cost  of  acquiring  the  same. 

The  report  of  this  special  board  has  been  referred,  as  required  by 
law,  to  the  Board  of  Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors,  to  whose 
reports  herewith,  dated  December  18,  1911,  and  June  10,  1912,  atten- 
tion is  invited. 

2.  As  the  first  report  of  the  special  board  recommending  a  10-foot 
depth  waterway  indicated  costs  in  excess  of  what  was  considered 
advisable  by  the  Board  of  Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors  and 
myself,  under  present  conditions,  a  second  report  was  called  for  to 
show  estimates  of  cost  for  a  lesser  depth — that  of  7  feet — considered 
necessary  for  6-foot-draft  boats.  The  costs  per  section  of  the  water- 
way for  the  two  depths  of  10  and  7  feet,  respectively,  are  as  follows : 


10-foot  depth. 

7-foot  depth. 

$4,336,000.00 

$2,872,111.00 

3, 811,000.00 

3, 724, 219.00 

6,330,000. 00 

5,677,800.00 

2,645,000. 00 

1, 227,800.00 

897,000. 00 

427,400.00 

437,000.00 

195,000. 00 

657,000.00 

251, 726.  75 

3,528,000.00 

2,491,056.03 

8,413,000. 00 

2, 127,950.68 

Total  

31,054,000.00 

18,995,063.46 

9 


10     INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY — BEAUFORT,  N.  0.,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

3.  The  special  board  recommends  an  expenditure  of  $31,000,000 
for  a  complete  continuous  inland  waterway  with  a  canal  section 
of  10-foot  depth  and  a  minimum  bottom  width  of  100  feet  for  use  by 
barges  of  about  8  feet  draft  and  1,000  tons  load ;  the  work  to  be  com- 
pleted in  six  years,  but  the  Board  of  Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors 
found  itself  unable  to  concur  in  the  desirability  of  such  expenditure, 
even  for  a  single  one  of  the  nine  subdivisions.  The  Chief  of  Engi- 
neers does  not  exactly  concur  with  either  board,  concurring  with  the 
special  board  as  to  the  line  of  route  selected  and  as  to  the  need 
of  some  continuous  waterway,  and  concurring  with  the  Board  of 
Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors  as  to  the  lack  of  urgency  for  a 
1 0-foot  depth  at  present.  The  Chief  of  Engineers  believes,  however, 
that  in  view  of  the  fact  that  there  is  already  an  8-foot  depth  inside 
route  all  the  way  from  Delaware  River  to  Beaufort,  N.  C,  and  a 
12-foot  route  already  recommended  from  Long  Island  Sound  to 
Beaufort,  N.  C,  and  that  there  is  already  a  6  to  7  foot  depth  inside 
route  from  Charleston,  S.  C,  to  Jackson ville^  Fla.  (either  in  fact  or 
approved),  and  the  same  depth  for  about  170  miles  up  the  St.  Johns 
River  to  Sanford,  Fla.,  it  is  already  time  to  look  ahead  to  the  comple- 
tion of  a  7-foot  depth  route  for  the  intermediate  section  between 
Beaufort,  N.  C,  and  Charleston,  S.  C,  so  that  barges,  gasoline  boats, 
steam  hoisters,  light-draft  dredges,  and  other  light  craft  can  go  from 
the  south  New  England  coast  to  lower  Florida  without  danger 
from  heavy  Atlantic  gales.  Moreover,  the  Chief  of  Engineers  be- 
lieves that,  as  it  is  impracticable  to  improve  each  of  the  smaller 
rivers  of  the  Atlantic  coast  to  the  extent  of  allowing  to  each  a  free 
access  for  ocean  steamers,  it  will  be  very  advantageous  in  the  end  to 
connect  the  lower  ends  of  all  these  smaller  streams  by  a  belt  line  or 
coastal  canal  which  shall  afford  at  an  early  date  a  6-foot  draft  (7-foot 
depth)  waterway  connection  to  the  nearest  ocean  port  and  later  a 
12-foot  depth  through  connection  (2  feet  deeper  than  named  by  the 
special  board)  all  the  way  from  Long  Island  Sound  to  the  St.  Johns 
River,  the  order  of  work  to  be  gauged  by  the  urgency  of  its  needs. 

4.  From  personal  knowledge  the  Chief  of  Engineers  knows  the 
Beaufort  to  Cape  Fear  section  to  be  the  most  difficult  and  dangerous 
for  small  boats,  which  must  to-day  go  outside  into  an  unfriendly 
ocean  for  about  100  miles  and  pass  around  the  dangerous  Cape  Fear 
Shoals  with  no  safe  inlets  to  run  into  if  caught  in  bad  weather,  and 
with  not  enough  good  daylight  to  make  a  safe  through  run.  After 
boats  have  reached  the  Cape  Fear  River  safely  on  a  southbound 
passage  they  have  only  75  miles  farther  to  go  outside  to  reach 
Winyah  Bay  in  a  part  of  the  ocean  usually  favorable  to  such  a 
length  of  trip  and  usually  allowing  a  safe  passage  between  morning 
and  evening  twilight.  Once  arrived  at  Winyah  Bay  small  boats 
of  6  feet  draft  can  already  go  the  rest  of  the  way  to  the  St.  Johns 
River  by  waiting  for  tides  at  the  shallow  places,  and  larger  boats 
have  many  good  inlets  where  they  can  seek  shelter  in  bad  weather. 
Once  arrived  at  the  St.  Johns  River,  boats  of  8  feet  draft  will,  under 
existing  projects,  be  soon  able  to  go  freely  up  this  river  170  miles 
to  Sanford,  on  Lake  Monroe,  to  within  a  short  distance  of  the  north- 
ern boundary  of  the  Everglade  basin,  whose  drainage  and  small-boat 
canals  are  now  under  consideration  by  the  State  or  local  corpora- 
tions. Beyond  the  St.  Johns  River  and  along  the  Florida  east 
coast  population  is  sparse  and  the  customary  boat  travel,  except 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY — BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  11 

such  as  is  seeking  the  Gulf  or  such  as  is  adapted  to  existing  small- 
boat  channels,  is  occasional  and  can  afford  to  wait  for  quiet  weather 
in  which  to  follow  existing  routes  suitable  to  its  draft,  so  that  a 
7-foot  inside  route  along  this  Florida  coast  for  through  Atlantic 
coast  travel  is  not  at  present  urgent,  and  an  improvement  of  the 
present  3  to  4  foot  route  appears  too  local  for  Federal  consideration. 
Moreover,  when  the  time  comes  that  boats  will  need  a  better  route 
than  that  of  to-day  from  St.  Johns  River  to  the  Gulf  the  new  route 
should  be  one  across  the  State  and  not  around  it. 

5.  Because  of  his  belief  and  personal  knowledge,  as  above  given, 
taken  in  connection  with  the  report  and  recommendations  of  the 
special  board,  the  Chief  of  Engineers  concurs  with  the  special 
board  so  far  as  to  report  an  early  need  of  an  intracoastal  waterway 
from  Beaufort,  N.  C,  to  the  St.  Johns  River,  Fla.,  but  he  recom- 
mends favorably  at  present  only  a  waterway  of  6  feet  draft  (or  7 
feet  depth)  over  this  route  at  a  total  cost  of  about  $14,400,000,  further 
recommending  that  the  first  section  to  be  undertaken  be  that  from 
Beaufort,  N.  C.,  to  Cape  Fear  at  about  $2,900,000 ;  the  next,  that  from 
Winyah  Bay  to  Charleston  at  about  $1,230,000,  and  from  Charles- 
ton to  the  St.  Johns  River  at  about  $870,000,  so  much  of  this 
$2,100,000  to  be  expended  as  may  then  be  found  necessary  or  desir- 
able in  the  improvement  of  its  then  existing  6-foot  draft  routes; 
and  the  next,  that  from  Cape  Fear  River  to  Little  River  and  Winyah 
Bay,  commencing  with  the  northern  end,  at  about  $9,400,000;  total 
about  $14,400,000,  the  first  half  of  the  work  to  progress  at  the  rate 
of  about  $800,000  per  year,  and  the  progress  on  the  last  half  to 
gauged  by  the  results  of  the  first  half. 

6.  I  have,  therefore,  following  the  instructions  of  Congress,  as  to 
this  section  of  intracoastal  waterway,  to  report  that  the  improvement 
by  the  United  States  of  this  intracoastal  route  is  deemed  advisable 
so  far  as  to  give  a  6-foot  draft  (or  7-foot  depth)  inland  waterway 
from  Beaufort,  N.  C,  to  the  upper  St.  Johns  River,  Fla.,  following 
in  general  the  route  and  methods  recommended  in  the  accompanying 
report  of  the  special  board  and  the  order  of  work  stated  above,  at 
a  total  estimated  cost  of  $14,400,000  for  first  construction,  this  esti- 
mate being  based  on  annual  appropriations  of  at  least  $800,000 
per  year. 

W.  H.  Bixby, 
Chief  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army. 


REPORT  OF  THE  BOARD  OF  ENGINEERS  FOR  RIVERS  AND  HARBORS 
ON  PROJECT  FOR  10-FOOT  DEPTH. 

War  Department, 
The  Board  op  Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors, 

Washington,  D.  C,  December  18, 1911. 
Sir  :  1.  Having  fuliy  considered  the  report  of  the  special  board  on 
the  surveys  made  in  compliance  with  the  act  of  March  3,  1909,  for  the 
construction  of  a  continuous  waterway,  inland  where  practicable, 
from  Beaufort,  N.  C,  to  Key  West,  Fla.,  the  Board  of  Engineers  for 
Rivers  and  Harbors  has  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report 
thereon. 


12     INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY — BEAUFORT,  N.  0.,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

2.  The  item  of  law  calling  for  the  investigation  is  quoted  in  the 
report.  The  special  board  outlines  the  principal  factors  which  de- 
termined the  scope  and  nature  of  the  survey  and  describes  in  general 
terms  the  country  to  be  traversed.  Preliminary  consideration  was 
given  to  all  feasible  routes,  and  the  most  practicable  of  these  were 
selected  for  actual  survey. 

3.  The  entire  route  from  Beaufort  to  Key  West,  about  925  miles, 
is  divided  into  nine  reaches,  and  the  work  proposed  may  be  briefly 
described  as  follows: 

(1)  Beaufort  to  Cape  Fear  River. — Sea-level  canal  following  the 
coast  closely  through  natural  lagoons  or  low-lying  marsh  lands. 
There  will  be  required  on  this  section  ordinary  excavation,  three 
bridges,  and  at  Cape  Fear  Eiver  entrance  two  stone  jetties  and  a 
guard  lock.   The  estimated  cost  is  $4,336,000. 

{2)  Cape  Fear  River  to  Little  River. — Six  miles  sea  level  and  6- 
foot  level  for  balance  of  reach.  The  canal  crosses  a  series  of  sand 
ridges,  small  creeks,  and  rivers,  the  latter  to  be  dammed  below  the 
line  of  the  canal  and  raised  to  the  6-foot  level.  This  section  requires 
ordinary  excavation,  one  lock,  seven  dams,  four  highway  bridges, 
beacons,  etc.,  at  an  estimated  cost  of  $3,811,000. 

(3)  Little  River  to  Winy  ah  Bay. — Two  locks  of  12-foot  and  10- 
foot  lift  at  eastern  end  rising  from  the  6-foot  level  of  the  Cape  Fear- 
Little  River  reach,  making  a  28-foot  level  extending  to  Waccamaw 
River.  The  summit-level  water  supply  will  be  obtained  from  a  reser- 
voir to  be  created  by  damming  the  valley  of  the  Waccamaw  River 
at  Pireway.  From  this  reservoir  a  feeder  will  run  to  the  canal,  a 
distance  of  about  31,000  feet,  the  supply  being  regulated  by  control 
gates  at  each  end.  From  the  28-foot  level  the  canal  is  dropped  to  a 
9-foot  level  at  the  Waccamaw  by  means  of  two  locks  at  Bear  Bluff. 
Here  a  9-foot  level  in  the  river  itself  is  to  be  maintained  by  a  dam  at 
Conway  and  with  some  straightening  and  widening  the  river  channel 
is  to  be  followed.  At  Conway  the  canal  level  is  dropped  to  normal 
low-water  level  of  the  Waccamaw,  3.4  feet.  From  this  point  the  open 
river  now  under  improvement  will  be  followed  to  Winy  ah  Bay.  This 
reach  requires  for  the  main  canal,  Mullets  Creek  to  Bear  Bluff,  four 
locks,  two  at  each  end,  two  bridges  and  two  dwellings;  a  feeder  canal 
with  two  control  works,  a  reservoir  dam  at  Pirewa}^,  a  river  dam  and 
lock  at  Conway,  canal  and  river  excavation,  straightening  of  channel 
and  erection  of  beacons,  all  at  an  estimated  cost  of  $6,330,000. 

(If.)  Winyah  Bay  to  Charleston  Harbor. — This  route  utilizes  the 
existing  Estherville-Minim  Creek  Canal  of  6  feet  depth,  crosses  the 
North  and  South  Santee  Rivers,  and  continues  through  marsh  land 
and  natural  waterways,  terminating  in  deep  water  in  Charleston 
Harbor,  at  the  entrance  to  Sullivans  Island  Cove.  This  reach  is  to 
be  sea  level,  and  the  work  required  is  excavation,  the  erection  of  bea- 
cons, and,  at  South  Santee  River,  the  construction  of  training  walls. 
The  estimated  cost  is  $2,645,000. 

(5)  Charleston  Harbor  to  Savannah  River. — On  this  reach  the 
existing  inland  route  is  utilized  as  far  as  practicable.  It  is  deemed 
advisable,  however,  to  depart  from  this  at  times  in  order  to  overcome 
undue  crookedness  or  to  avoid  the  dangers  of  exposed  reaches.  This 
section  is  to  be  at  sea  level,  and  the  only  work  required  is  dredging 
and  the  erection  of  necessary  beacons.  The  estimated  cost  is  $897,000. 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C.,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  13 

(6)  Savannah  River  to  Femandina. — There  is  over  this  reach  an 
existing  natural  inland  waterway,  which  has  been  improved  by  the 
United  States  to  provide  a  channel .75  feet  wide  at  bottom  and  7  feet 
deep  at  mean  low  water.  With  one  change  this  route  is  to  be  fol- 
lowed. It  is  a  sea-level  reach  and  merely  requires  dredging  and  the 
construction  of  beacons,  although  provision  is  made  in  the  estimate 
for  a  moderate  amount  of  training-wall  work  that  may  become 
necessary.   The  estimated  cost  is  $437,000. 

(7)  Femandina  to  St.  Johns  River. — Over  this  reach  also  there 
is  an  existing  waterway  of  limited  dimensions,  which  affords  light- 
draft  navigation.  This  line  will  have  to  be  departed  from  to  fit  it 
as  a  part  of  a  useful  through  route,  but  is  adhered  to  where  practi- 
cable. The  only  work  contemplated  on  this  section  is  dredging,  at 
an  estimated  cost  of  $657,000. 

(8)  St.  Johns  River  to  Indian  River. — This  section  of  the  canal 
follows  generally  the  channel  of  the  St.  Johns,  which  has  a  depth 
in  excess  of  10  feet  for  93.5  miles  and  is  being  improved  for  a  fur- 
ther distance  of  73.7  miles  to  Sanford  on  Lake  Monroe  under  a 
project  which  contemplates  a  channel  8  feet  deep  and  100  feet  wide. 
From  Lake  Monroe  to  Lake  Harney — 22.6  miles — the  channel  is 
being  improved  to  a  depth  of  5  feet.  The  natural  channel  is  very 
crooked,  however,  and  for  a  canal  of  the  dimensions  proposed  for  the 
intracoastal  waterway  can  not  be  closely  followed,  and  marsh  cuts 
must  be  substituted.  From  Lake  Monroe  the  route  follows  Salt 
River,  Lake  Ruth,  Lake  Shad,  Salt  Lake,  and  thence  15  miles  across 
the  divide  between  St.  Johns  and  Indian  Rivers.  As  Salt  Lake  is 
6  to  7  feet  in  elevation  above  Indian  River  a  lock  will  be  provided 
near  Indian  River.  There  will  be  required  on  this  reach  ordinary 
excavation,  beacons,  one  lock,  and  two  bridges,  at  an  estimated  cost  of 
$3,528,000^ 

(9)  Indian  River  to  Key  West. — Indian  River  has  for  the  most 
part  a  depth  of  6  feet  or  more,  and  some  work  has  been  done  in  it  by 
the  Government.    The  line  of  deepest  water  is  generally  followed. 

The  route  passes  through  Indian  River,  past  St.  Lucie  Inlet,  the 
canal  of  the  Florida  East  Coast  Canal  Co.,  and  connecting  water- 
ways partly  improved  by  that  company,  to  Miami  on  Biscayne  Bay, 
and  thence  through  Hawk  Channel  to  Key  West.  No  work  is  re- 
quired through  Hawk  Channel  to  Key  West,  as  the  natural  depth 
is  sufficient.  This  reach  requires  ordinary  dredging,  rock  excavation, 
construction  of  beacons,  and  the  purchase  of  the  Florida  East  Coast 
Canal,  at  a  total  estimated  cost  of  $8,413,000,  of  which  $211,308.30 
is  for  the  purchase  of  the  canal. 

4.  Recapitulating  the  above  estimates,  we  have : 


Beaufort-Cape  Fear  River   $4,  336,  000 

Cape  Fear  River-Little  River   3,  811,  000 

Little  River- Winy  ah  Bay   6,  330,  000 

Winy  ah  Bay-Charleston  Harbor   2,  645,  000 

Charleston  Harbor-Savannah  River   897,000 

Savannah  River-Fernandina   437,000 

Fernandina-St.  Johns  River   657,  000 

St.  Johns  River-Indian  River.   3,528,000 

Indian  River-Key  West  _  8,413,000 


Grand  total   31,  054,  000 


Annual  maintenance,  2  per  cent  of  original  cost,  or  $620,000. 


14     JNTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  Cv  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

5.  The  maximum  depth  specified  by  the  law  is  12  feet,  but  the 
special  board's  investigations  led  it  to  the  conclusion  that  the  most 
economical  vessels  for  use  in  this  waterway  would  be  1,000-ton 
barges  with  a  draft  of  8  feet,  handled  by  towboats  of  no  greater 
draft,  and  that  a  depth  of  10  feet  would  accommodate  the  barge 
traffic  anticipated  as  well  as  all  types  of  craft  now  used  or  likely 
to  be  used  in  the  local  zone  traffic.  The  board  states  that  the  10- 
foot  depth  will  be  much  less  expensive  than  12  feet,  and  will  be 
sufficiently  well  adapted  to  military  and  naval  purposes. 

In  view  of  all  cons' derations,  the  board  has  selected  10  feet  as  the  correct 
depth  for  this  canal,  from  end  to  end. 

A  minimum  width  at  bottom  of  100  feet  is  given,  increasing  in 
bends  and  in  open  waters  up  to  a  maximum  of  200  feet,  with  side 
slopes  of  1  on  2  to  1  on  4.  Turning  or  passing  basins  are  to  be 
provided  where  needed,  one  at  least  in  each  3  miles  of  length,  the 
actual  location  to  be  left  to  the  constructing  officer.  The  special 
board  gives  details  and  estimates  of  cost  for  the  different  items  of 
construction  that  enter  into  the  work. 

6.  Commercial,  naval,  and  military  utilization — Commercial  utili- 
zation.— It  is  expected  that  two  kinds  of  commerce  will  develop) — > 
local  or  zone  traffic  and  through  traffic. 

Local  or  zone  traffic. — Traffic  of  this  character  is  expected  to 
develop  first,  as  there  is  now  considerable  business  done  on  existing 
inland  waters,  including  the  coastal  lagoons,  canals,  and  small  rivers, 
the  traffic  centering  at  the  principal  seaports.  With  better  coastal 
connection  between  the  rivers  and  the  business  centers  this  traffic 
should  increase.  There  is  now  a  commerce  of  this  character  on  the 
North  Carolina  coast  amounting  to  about  108,745  tons,  valued  at 
$2,866,135.  On  the  principal  rivers  of  northern  South  Carolina,  the 
commerce  amounts  to  about  283,738  tons,  valued  at  $3,429,390,  the 
concentration  point  being  Georgetown,  which  has  a  limited  harbor 
depth.  The  special  board  believes  that  this  commerce  would  be 
greatly  increased  if  an  adequate  inland  coastal  connection  with 
Charleston  and  Savannah  were  available.  Along  the  coast  of 
Georgia,  where  the  inland  waterways  are  better  than  farther  north, 
there  is  at  present  a  well-established  traffic  amounting  to  about 
55,000  tons,  valued  at  $2,500,000,  not  including  rafted  logs  and  timber. 
A  larger  commerce  is  predicted  to  result  from  better  navigation 
facilities.  The  proposed  coastal  route  would  be  of  especial  value 
to  Florida,  where  other  means  of  transportation  are  inadequate  to 
meet  the  rapidly  growing  trade  adjacent  to  the  line  of  the  canal 
route.  No  reliable  estimate  of  prospective  zone  commerce  can  be 
given,  but  a  study  of  existing  conditions  indicates  that  it  would  be 
large.  The  special  board  states  that  on  the  assumption  that  the  canal 
will  develop  a  commerce  in  proportion  to  that  of  the  existing  re- 
stricted inland  waterway  in  Georgia,  a  total  zone  traffic  of  approxi- 
mately $30,000,000  per  annum  may  be  expected. 

Through  traffic. — While  the  prospect  of  establishing  a  through 
traffic  of  any  considerable  size  in  competition  with  seagoing  vessels 
is  uncertain,  the  special  board  believes  that  there  is  a  fair  prospect 
for  the  growth  of  such  traffic,  principally  in  coal,  lumber,  naval 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  3ST.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  15 


stores,  fertilizers,  and  perhaps  other  items,  at  least  to  the  extent  of 
carrying  the  commerce  that  through  lack  of  sufficient  ocean  bottoms 
is  now  refused. 

Naval  and  military  utilization. — The  special  board  discusses  these 
uses  of  the  canal  and  states  that  the  waterway  may  have  considerable 
value  for  such  purposes  under  certain  more  or  less  remote  contin- 
gencies. 

7.  Recommendations. — After  a  comparison  of  the  cost  with  pros- 
pective utilization,  the  special  board  concludes  that  the  canal  is  wor- 
thy of  construction  by  the  United  States,  considered  from  the  stand- 
point of  local  or  zone  business  alone,  and  adds,  "  When  to  the  increase 
in  concentration  and  distribution  is  added  the  prospect  of  economical 
through  traffic,  and  when  it  is  recalled  that  the  cost  of  carrying  the 
work  forward  from  4  zone '  to  '  through '  development,  will  be  but  a 
small  part  of  the  total,  it  is  clear  that  the  through  canal  should  be 
undertaken  as  a  whole." 

8.  Order  of  work. — It  is  believed  by  the  special  board  that  in 
actual  construction  the  first  effort  should  be  directed  toward  zone 
extension  from  the  large  ports  outward,  supplemented  by  completion 
of  the  connecting  links  about  the  time  when  zone  communications 
shall  have  reached  a  state  of  high  efficiency.  It  considers  it  unwise  to 
undertake  the  work  in  an  intermittent  way  or  under  any  program 
which  contemplates  extending  the  work  over  a  long  period  of  years, 
and  asserts  the  practicability  of  economically  completing  the  canal 
in  six  years.  A  program  for  expenditures  on  this  basis  is  presented, 
the  amounts  being  for  successive  years  $3,942,000,  $6,194,000,  $7,000,- 
000,  $5,964,000,  $3,900,000,  $4,054,000,  a  total  of  $31,054,000. 

9.  Private  canals. — While  there  are  several  private  canals  on  the 
South  Atlantic  coast,  there  is  only  one  which  follows  closely  the  line 
proposed  and  which  should  be  taken  into  consideration,  namely,  that 
of  the  Florida  Coast  Line  Canal  &  Transportation  Co.,  connecting 
the  waters  of  Jupiter  Inlet  and  Biscayne  Bay.  Owing  to  the  small 
cross  section  of  this  canal,  it  will  not  be  of  great  value  in  connection 
with  the  proposed  waterway,  but  it  could  be  utilized  with  some  sav- 
ing. It  was  not  possible  to  ascertain  the  probable  cost  of  acquiring 
this  private  canal,  but  the  saving  in  excavation  by  its  use  has  been 
estimated  at  $211,308.30.  The  extent  of  the  right  of  way  of  this 
private  canal  appears  indefinite,  but  is  insufficient  to  meet  the  re- 
quirements of  an  enlarged  canal.  A  route  parallel  to  the  existing 
canal  is  practicable,  and  the  opinion  is  expressed  that  the  price  above 
named,  $211,308.30,  plus  a  fair  valuation  for  the  right  of  way,  repre- 
sents the  value  of  the  canal  to  the  United  States,  and  if  the  demands 
of  the  canal  company  exceed  this  sum  the  parallel  location  is  recom- 
mended. 

10.  The  Board  of  Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors  has  given 
careful  consideration  to  the  report  outlined  above  and  to  the  advan- 
tages and  benefits  to  be  derived  from  the  proposed  improvement. 
It  agrees  with  the  special  board  generally  in  the  conclusion  that  the 
greatest  benefits  would  be  felt  in  certain  zones  tributary  to  the  larger 
commercial  centers,  and  that  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  commerce 
developed  would  be  of  local  or  zone  type.  It  does  not  believe  that 
there  would  be  any  great  amount  of  through  commerce.   The  dis~ 


16     INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

tance  the  through  commerce  would  have  to  be  transported  to  reach 
the  markets  at  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  or  other  northern  ports 
would  be  very  great,  vessels  suited  to  the  restricted  waterway  would 
be  limited  in  capacity  and  speed,  and  in  the  opinion  of  the  board 
could  not  compete  with  seagoing  vessels.  There  are  on  this  section 
of  the  coast  a  number  of  good  seaports  at  no  great  distance  apart, 
with  harbors  of  sufficient  capacity  to  accommodate  ocean  traffic, 
namely,  Wilmington,  Georgetown,  Charleston,  Savannah,  Bruns- 
wick, Fernandina,  and  Jacksonville,  all  having  an  established  trade 
by  sea  with  northern  ports.  The  board  does  not  believe  that  com- 
merce would  pass  these  ports  in  a  restricted  inland  waterway  in  pref- 
erence to  taking  the  open  sea  in  large  carriers. 

11.  Taking  up  the  question  of  zone  traffic,  the  recapitulation  of 
the  estimates  given  above  shows  that  the  first  four  and  the  last  two 
sections  range  in  cost  from  $2,645,000  to  $8,413,000.  There  appears 
to  be  no  prospect  of  the  development  of  local  traffic  on  any  of  these 
sections  of  such  amount  as  to  warrant  the  very  large  expenditures 
involved.  The  other  three  sections  are  those  from  Charleston  Har- 
bor to  Savannah  Eiver,  costing  $897,000;  Savannah  River  to  Fer- 
nandina, costing  $437,000 ;  and  Fernandina  to  St.  Johns  River,  cost- 
ing $657,000.  All  of  these  three  sections  have  existing  through  chan- 
nels. The  waterway  from  Charleston  to  Savannah  has  at  present  a 
small  boat  traffic  concentrating  country  products  at  Charleston  and 
Savannah  and  distributing  supplies  as  return  cargoes.  *  The  amount 
is  unknown,  but  is  thought  to  be  somewhat  in  excess  of  40,000 
tons  per  year.  Neither  the  present  nor  prospective  commerce  of 
this  section  appears  to  justify  the  expenditure  proposed  for  the  im- 
provement or  existing  facilities.  This  section  includes  within  its 
limits  Archers  Creek,  S.  C,  which  is  under  consideration  by  the 
board  and  will  be  reported  upon  separately,  under  the  act  of  June 
25,  1910.  The  section  from  Savannah  River  to  Fernandina  is  al- 
ready provided  with  a  waterway  7  feet  deep,  which  appears  to  meet 
the  present  and  reasonably  prospective  requirements  of  commerce, 
and  no  further  improvement  is  recommended.  The  section  from 
Fernandina  to  St.  Johns  River  is  under  examination  as  a  separate 
project,  in  accordance  with  a  provision  in  the  river  and  harbor  act 
of  February  27,  1911.  Report  upon  a  survey  of  this  route  is  now 
before  the  board,  from  which  it  appears  that  the  present  commerce  is 
about  28,000  tons.  Even  allowing  for  a  large  increase  in  commerce, 
the  traffic  would  not  be  sufficient  to  make  advisable  the  improvement 
of  this  section  to  a  depth  of  10  feet,  at  a  cost  of  $657,000. 

12.  The  board  has  given  consideration  to  the  military  and  naval 
purposes  that  might  be  served  by  the  proposed  waterway,  and  is  of 
opinion  that  such  uses  are  not  of  sufficient  importance  to  modify 
the  conclusions  reached  from  a  consideration  of  the  commercial  as- 
pects of  the  question. 

13.  In  conclusion,  the  board  reports  that,  in  its  opinion,  it  is  not 
advisable  for  the  Government  to  undertake  the  construction  of  a 
waterway  10  feet  deep  from  Beaufort,  N.  C,  to  Key  West,  Fla.,  as 
recommended  in  the  accompanying  report. 

14.  In  compliance  with  law,  the  board  reports  that  there  are  no 
questions  of  terminal  facilities,  waterpower,  or  other  related  sub- 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY — BEAUFORT,  K.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  17 

jects  which  could  be  coordinated  with  the  improvements  proposed 
in  such  manner  as  to  render  them  advisable  in  the  interests  of  com- 
merce and  navigation. 
For  the  board. 

Very  respectfully, 

Wm.  T.  Rossell, 
Colonel,  Corps  of  Engineers, 
Senior  Member  of  the  Board* 
The  Chief  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army. 


REPORT  OF  THE  BOARD  OP  ENGINEERS  FOR  RIVERS  AND  HARBORS 
ON  PROJECT  FOR  7-FOOT  DEPTH. 

[Fourth  indorsement.] 

The  Board  of  Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors, 

Washington,  June  10,  1912. 

1.  Respectfully  returned  to  the  Chief  of  Engineers,  United  States 
Army. 

2.  The  Board  of  Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors  has  had  before 
it  the  supplemental  estimates  submitted  by  the  special  board  for  a 
waterway  having  a  depth  of  7  feet  between  Beaufort  and  Key  West. 
The  location  of  this  waterway  is  identical  with  that  proposed  for  the 
10-foot  project,  and  its  cost  is  estimated,  in  round  numbers,  at 
$19,000,000,  or  $12,000,000  less  than  for  the  deeper  channel. 

3.  The  board  has  considered  this  lesser  waterway,  both  in  its  bear- 
ing upon  through  commerce  and  upon  the  local  or  zone  commerce  of 
the  different  seaports.  The  board  does  not  believe  that  the  benefits 
to  be  derived  from  a  through  waterway  of  7-foot  depth  would  be  com- 
mensurate with  the  large  expenditure  required,  the  basis  of  this 
opinion  being  the  improbability  of  the  development  of  any  great 
through  commerce,  as  explained  in  the  board's  report  upon  the 
larger  project.  Considered  in  its  relation  to  zone  traffic,  a  continuous 
waterway  does  not  seem  to  be  essential.  Individual  sections  were 
considered  in  the  board's  report  of  December  19, 1911,  and,  on  account 
of  the  large  cost  of  construction  as  compared  with  the  existing  and 
reasonably  prospective  commerce,  no  improvement  was  recommended, 
but  reference  was  made  to  the  fact  that  separate  examinations  of  cer- 
tain sections  had  been  ordered  by  Congress  and  would  be  reported 
upon  thereafter. 

4.  Attention  is  invited  to  the  board's  reports  of  January  15,  1912, 
in  reference  to  Archers  Creek,  between  Charleston  and  Savannah, 
and  of  December  26,  1911,  in  reference  to  the  waterway  from  St. 
Johns  River  to  Cumberland  Sound,  in  which  the  improvement  of 
these  waterways  was  recommended  to  depths  of  6  and  7  feet,  respec- 
tively. Having  in  mind  the  fact  that  a  channel  7  feet  deep  is  now 
available  between  Savannah  and  Fernandina,  it  will  be  seen  that 
these  recommendations  provide  for  inland  navigation  from  Charles- 
ton to  Jacksonville,  embracing  the  most  promising  sections  of  the 
intracoastal  waterway.  The  board  believes  that  the  improvement  of 

H.  Doc.  229,  6a-l  2 


18     INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY — BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

the  remaining  sections  to  a  depth  of  7  feet  is  not  advisable  at  the 
present  time. 
For  the  board. 

Wm.  T.  Rossell, 
Colonel,  Corps  of  Engineers, 
Senior  Member  of  the  Board. 


SURVEY  OF  THE  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.,  SECTION  OF 
THE  PROPOSED  CONTINUOUS  INLAND  WATERWAY  FROM  BOSTON, 
MASS.,  TO  THE  RIO  GRANDE. 

EEPOET  OF  A  SPECIAL  BOAED  OF  ENGINEERS. 

War  Department, 
United  States  Engineer  Office, 

Jacksonville,  Fla.,  July  1,  1911. 

Sir  :  The  board  of  officers  appointed  to  conduct  the — 

Survey  for  the  construction  of  a  continuous  waterway,  inland  where  practi- 
cable, from  Beaufort,  North  Carolina,  to  the  Cape  Fear  River,  North  Carolina; 
thence  to  Winyah  Bay,  South  Carolina;  thence  to  St.  Johns  River,  Florida; 
thence  to  Key  West,  Florida,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  cost  of  a 
channel  with  a  maximum  depth  of  twelve  feet,  or  such  lesser  depths  along  any 
section  or  sections  of  the  said  waterway  as  may  be  found  to  be  sufficient  for 
commercial,  naval,  or  military  purposes.  Such  survey  shall  include  an  exami- 
nation of  all  practicable  routes,  the  preparation  of  plans  and  estimates  of  cost 
along  the  most  available  route,  and  a  report  upon  the  desirability  of  utilizing 
as  a  part  of  such  waterway  any  existing  public  or  private  canal,  or  any  part 
thereof,  and  the  probable  cost  of  acquiring  same — 

in  accordance  with  the  act  approved  March  3,  1909,  has  the  honor 
to  report: 

Section  I. — Preliminary. 

The  board  deems  it  advisable  at  the  outset  to  state  the  conceptions 
which  have  determined  the  scope  and  nature  of  the  surveys  and 
which  have  governed  the  board  in  reaching  its  conclusions. 

The  wording  of  the  act  as  quoted  above  clearly  contemplates  a 
"  through  "  route.  To  meet  this  requirement  the  waterway  should 
be  as  short  and  direct  as  practicable.  Thus,  long  or  expensive  de- 
tours, designed  to  reach  or  pass  through  interior  cities,  are  inad- 
missible; inland  communities  must  gain  access  to  the  through  route 
by  using  the  intersecting  river  systems,  all  of  which  reach  the  pro- 
posed waterway  at  or  near  their  seaward  ends.  Again,  a  "  through  " 
route  should  be  one  which  imposes  a  minimum  of  impediment  upon 
through  traffic.  Thus,  other  conditions  being  equal,  locks  and  varia- 
tions of  level  are  inhibited. 

Under  these  conceptions  the  waterway  has  been  designed  to  follow, 
as  nearly  as  possible,  the  general  alignment  of  the  coast;  and  has 
been  carried  as  near  the  coast  as  conditions  have  permitted,  depar- 
tures inland  having  been  resorted  to  only  where  high  land  comes 
down  to  the  sea,  where  the  marine  marsh  and  sea  island  formations 
are  lacking,  or  where  wave-washed  sand  beaches  afford  the  only  loca- 
tions for  shore-line  canals.   Also,  the  canal  has  been  made  sea-level 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  0.,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  19 

whatever  reasonably  practicable.  Impediments  and  uncertainties  in- 
volved in  the  introduction  of  locks  and  high  levels  and  dependence 
upon  questionable  summit-level  water  supplies  have  been  avoided. 

Section  II. — The  country  traversed. 

A  general  description  of  the  coast  precedes  discussion  of  possible 
routes : 

From  Beaufort,  the  northern  terminus,  to  the  Cape  Fear  entrance 
the  coast  line  is  of  regular  form,  tending  southwesterly  in  a  long; 
curve.  The  shore  itself  consists  of  a  series  of  low  sand  ridges 
paralleling  the  ocean  line,  broken  at  intervals  by  small  inlets.  la 
rear  of  the  beach  ridges  marine  marshes  and  open  sounds  are  practi- 
cally continuous,  var}dng  from  the  broad  expanses  of  Bogue  Sound 
on  the  north  to  the  lesser  widths  and  more  constricted  areas  south  of 
New  River,  and  gradually  narrowing  and  tailing  out  toward  the 
lower  end  of  Cape  Fear  Peninsula.  Landward  of  the  marine  marsk 
the  country  rises  to  gently  undulating  regions,  generally  heavily 
wooded,  exhibiting  large  areas  of  swamp  permeated  and  drained  by 
the  tributaries  of  the  Neuse,  Newport,  White  Oak,  New,  and  North 
East  Cape  Fear  Rivers. 

Continuing  from  the  Cape  Fear  entrance  the  coast  line  trends 
again  southwesterly  in  a  long  curve  to  Winyah  Bay;  but  here  the 
topography  differs  markedly  from  that  found  in  the  previous  section. 
The  beach  ridges  persist  southward  to  Little  River  Inlet,  but  the 
marine  marsh  is  little  in  evidence,  being  replaced  by  narrow  longi- 
tudinal depressions  parallel  to  the  shore  line,  above  sea  level,  and  ie 
general  covered  by  upland  fresh-water  swamp  growths.  South  of 
Little  River  the  land  rises  directly  from  the  sea  to  the  upland  pine 
barrens  and  swamps.  Inland  from  this  coastal  fringe  are  broad 
table-lands,  generally  wooded,  sparsely  inhabited,  ill  drained  and 
swampy. 

Southward  from  Winyah  Bay  the  coastal  topography  again 
changes.  First  comes  the  broad  Santee  Delta  area,  succeeded  by 
the  island  formations  of  the  Carolina,  Georgia,  and  Florida  coasts* 
which  continue  as  far  south  as  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Johns  River. 
In  this  section  nature  has  already  gone  far  toward  providing  an 
inland  waterway.  The  coast  line  consists  of  a  chain  of  sea  islands 
sheltering  a  broad  expanse  of  marine  marsh,  the  latter  being 
traversed  by  many  tidal  creeks  and  passages.  From  the  Santee 
Delta  to  Charleston  Harbor  limited  inland  communication  can  now 
be  had  by  way  of  these  tidal  sloughs;  from  Charleston  to  the  Savan- 
nah River  the  passages  are  of  capacity  sufficient  to  carry  a  consider- 
able small-boat  trade,  while  on  the  Georgia  and  northern  Florida 
coasts,  excepting  at  a  few  constricted  points,  the  inland  waterway 
is  broad  and  open,  accommodating  schooners  and  light-draft  steamers. 
There  is  little  occasion  for  considering  the  adjacent  back  country  5 
as  the  continuous  belt  of  marine  marsh  affords  an  exceptional  loca- 
tion for  a  coastwise  canal. 

Continuing  southward  from  the  St.  Johns  River  entrance  the 
topography  is  somewhat  less  favorable.  The  coast  remains  lowT  and 
sandy,  but  while  for  portions  of  the  distance  long  lagoons,  lying 
behind  the  beach  ridges,  appear  to  offer  a  suitable  location,  there 


20     INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

are  several  stretches,  notably  south  of  Mayport  and  south  of  Man- 
tanzas  Inlet,  where  conditions  are  distinctly  obstructive.  On  the 
other  hand,  varying  from  15  to  25  miles  inland  the  St.  Johns  Valley 
leads  far  southward,  and  finally  southeasterly  toward  the  northern 
end  of  the  Indian  Kiver,  while  the  Indian  River  itself,  with  St. 
Lucie  and  Hobe  Sounds,  all  of  which  lie  sheltered  behind  the  broad 
outer  beaches,  offer  obvious  prolongation  of  an  inland  passage  south- 
ward to  Jupiter  Inlet. 

Continuing  southerly  the  coastal  fringe  remains  low  and  sandy,  the 
beach  ridges  of  the  shore  being  practically  continuous  and  the  longi- 
tudinal depressions  in  the  rear  of  the  beach  ridges  varying  from  low 
marsh  land  to  open  lagoons,  such  as  Lake  Worth  and  the  Hillsboro 
River,  with  the  usual  rising  landward  of  the  depressions.  This 
formation  persists  as  far  as  Biscayne  Bay,  where  the  depressions 
widen  to  form  a  broad  shallow  sound  protected  by  sandy  islands  to 
seaward. 

To  the  south  of  Biscayne  Bay  all  conditions  are  again  materially 
altered.  In  rear  of  the  sounds  the  shore  line  of  the  mainland  swings 
off  to  the  southwest  and  west,  rounding  the  tip  of  the  Florida 
Peninsula,  while  the  ocean  beach  line  swings  out  from  the  main- 
land, gradually  increasing  its  distance,  trending  southwesterly,  and 
is  prolonged  to  Key  West  by  a  series  of  coral  islands  or  keys.  The 
water  area  inclosed  between  the  mainland  and  the  line  of  keys  is 
generally  shallow,  studded  with  small  islands  and  reefs,  and  offers 
no  location  for  an  interior  waterway.  But  immediately  seaward  of 
the  line  of  keys  is  the  well-known  Hawk  Channel,  sheltered  by  out- 
lying reefs  and  having  a  controlling  depth  of  10  feet.  This  naviga- 
ble passage  is  continuous  from  Biscayne  Bay  entrance  to  the  harbor 
at  Key  West,  and  is  now  in  general  use  by  light-draft  craft,  so 
that  in  its  present  condition  the  Hawk  Channel  constitutes  the  logical 
extension  of  a  coast-line  canal  from  the  mainland  of  Florida  to  the 
island  harbor  of  Key  West. 

Section  III. — Alternative  Routes. 

The  above  general  description  indicates  the  existence  along  certain 
sections  of  the  coast  of  more  than  one  feasible  route,  notably  in  the 
North  Carolina  and  Florida  sections. 

Many  of  the  possible  alternatives  have  previously  been  well  sur- 
veyed and  reported  upon,  so  that  the  board  had  in  advance  consid- 
erable information  upon  which  to  plan  the  present  survey.  All 
previous  reports  and  other  available  topographical  data  were  col- 
lected and  considered,  after  which  the  preliminary  work  was  laid 
out  to  cover  reexamination  of  the  reasonably  practicable  known 
routes,  and  thorough  investigation  of  the  sections  upon  which  little 
information  had  hitherto  been  secured.  This  advance  work  de- 
veloped the  variants  discussed  below. 

1.  BEAUFORT  TO  CAPE  FEAR. 

(a)  The  Kearney  line. — This  is  an  interior  route,  surveyed  by 
Lieut.  Col.  J.  Kearney,  topographical  engineer,  in  1828,  and  is  re- 
ported on  page  38  of  Senate  Document  No.  35,  Forty-fourth  Congress, 


1NTRAC0ASTAL  WATEKWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  21 

first  session.  The  route  was  resurveyed  by  S.  T.  Albert,  United 
States  civil  engineer,  the  report  being  found  in  the  same  Senate 
document.  The  line  passes  through  Neuse  River,  leads  by  Slocums 
Creek  past  Big  Lake,  thence  down  the  White  Oak  River;  thence  by 
Grants  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  White  Oak;  across  country  to  the 
northeast  branch  of  New  River ;  across  this  branch  and  up  the  south- 
west branch;  thence  across  country  into  and  down  Holly  Shelter 
Creek  to  point  of  confluence  with  the  northeast  branch  to  Cape  Fear 
River;  thence  down  the  northeast  branch  to  Cape  Fear  River  proper. 
This  survey  has  been  reexamined,  and  estimates  based  upon  the 
type  of  canal  now  required  to  accommodate  barge  traffic  show  a 
probable  total  cost  by  this  route  of  $12,000,000. 

(b)  The  Phillips  interior  line. — This  route  was  surveyed  in  1878 
and  1880  by  Capt.  Charles  B.  Phillips,  Corps  of  Engineers,  whose 
report  is  found  on  page  851,  Annual  Report  of  the  Chief  of  Engi- 
neers for  1880.  The  line  passes  up  Neuse  River  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Trent  River;  thence  up  Trent  River  to  Pollocksville ;  thence  across 
country,  parallel  to  the  present  location  of  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line 
Railroad,  to  the  White  Oak  River  near  Maysville;  thence  across 
country  via  Starkeys  Creek  to  the  Big  Northeast  Branch  of  New 
River ;  thence  to  and  down  New  River  to  Sneads  Ferry ;  thence  along 
the  course  of  the  coastal  sand  ridges  to  a  point  near  Hampstead; 
thence  to  Northeast  Cape  Fear  River  via  Harrisons  Creek.  No 
satisfactory  location  for  the  canal  could  be  found  on  this  line,  which 
fact  led  to  the  making  of  the  survey  covered  by  (c)  below. 

(c)  The  Phillips  shore  line. — This  route  followed  the  general  line 
of  the  coast,  passing  through  Bogue  Sound  and  the  marine  marshes 
to  the  southward  to  Whiskey  Creek,  crossing  at  that  point  via 
Whiskey  Creek  and  Bernards  Creek  directly  into  the  Cape  Fear 
River.  This  survey  demonstrated  the  practicability  of  constructing 
a  canal  on  this  line,  and  indicated  a  probable  reasonable  cost.  Esti- 
mates based  upon  the  type  of  canal  now  desired  showed  a  probable 
cost  of  $4,000,000. 

Reexamination  of  the  above  three  possibilities  showed  that  the 
interior  routes  (a)  and  (b)  are  impracticable  on  account  of  excessive 
cost  of  sea-level  canals  and  on  account  of  absence  of  adequate  water 
supply  for  summit  levels  of  lock  canals.  The  whole  country  between 
the  Neuse  and  Cape  Fear  Rivers  was  also  actually  explored  by  recon- 
noissance  parties,  with  a  view  to  locating  any  other  reasonably 
practicable  routes.  None  were  found.  The  board,  therefore,  deter- 
mined upon  a  detailed  survey  along  the  general  route  of  the  shore 
lines. 

2.  CAPE  FEAR  RIVER  TO  WIN  YAH .  BAY. 

(a)  The  Livingston  Creek- Juniper  Creek  line. — This  interior 
route  was  surveyed  in  1881  by  Capt.  James  Mercur,  Corps  of  Engi- 
neers, and  is  reported  in  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Chief  of  Engi- 
neers for  1882.  The  line  passes  up  Cape  Fear  River  and  its  north- 
west branch  to  Livingston  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  latter ;  thence  up 
this  creek  and  overland  through  Green  Swamp  to  Juniper  Creek,  a 
tributary  of  the  Waccamaw  River ;  thence  down  the  Waccamaw  Val- 
ley to  Winyah  Bay.  A  canal  on  this  line  would  necessarily  be  a 
lock  canal,  and,  at  that,  would  involve  very  heavy  excavation.  The 


22     TNTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N".  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

survey  shows  no  sufficient  water  supply  for  summit  levels,  and  shows 
unusual  engineering  difficulties  and  prohibitive  cost. 

(b)  The  Town  Creek  line. — This  interior  route  was  surveyed  at  the 
same  time  as  the  previous  and  is  similarly  reported.  The  line  passes 
up  the  Cape  Fear  Eiver  to  Town  Creek ;  thence  up  Town  Creek  and 
across  Green  Swamp  directly  to  Waccamaw  Eiver.  Here  also  eleva- 
tions and  cost  were  found  to  be  prohibitive  and  water  supply  for 
summit  levels  inadequate. 

(c)  The  shore  line. — The  possibility  of  constructing  a  canal  by 
this  route  was  indicated  by  topographic  information  in  possession  of 
the  board,  and  an  examination  was  instituted.  The  line  leaves  South- 
port  at  the  mouth  of  Cape  Fear  Kiver;  thence  by  Elizabeth  Eiver, 
crossing  the  divide  to  Davis  Creek  and  Lockwoods  Folly  Eiver; 
across  the  latter  and  across  a  second  divide  to  Little  Shallotte  Eiver; 
down  this  valley  to  and  across  the  Shallotte  Eiver ;  thence  up  Sauce- 
pan Creek  and  across  the  divide  to  Calabash  Eiver,  which  empties 
into  Little  Eiver  near  the  inlet ;  this  to  be  prolonged  to  Winyah  Bay 
either  by  shore  line,  following  the  coast,  or  by  crossing  from  Little 
River  directly  to  Waccamaw  Eiver  and  down  the  latter. 

As  in  the  previous  section,  the  detailed  information  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  board  demonstrated  the  impracticability  of  the  high-level 
interior  routes.  The  board  selected  the  third  variant  and  instituted 
a  survey  for  a  shore  line  from  Southport  to  Little  Eiver  Inlet,  and 
for  both  cross-country  and  coastal  lines  from  Little  Eiver  Inlet  to 
"Winyah  Bay. 

An  instrumental  reconnoissance  of  the  Waccamaw  peninsula  soon 
developed  the  fact  that  a  shore  location  from  Little  Eiver  to  the 
vicinity  of  Winyah  Ba}^  would  be  impracticable  and  unduly  costly 
on  account  of  the  absence  of  any  low  line  for  a  sea-level  canal  and  the 
absence  of  water  supply  for  a  canal  at  higher  level.  The  results  of 
the  reconnoissance  thus  determined  that  the  final  location  for  a  route 
from  Cape  Fear  Eiver  to  Winyah  Bay  should  follow  the  shore  line 
only  as  far  as  Little  Eiver  Inlet,  crossing  from  that  point  to  the 
Waccamaw  Valley,  and  so  down  to  Winyah  Bay. 

3.  WINYAH  BAY  CHARLESTON  HARBOR. 

Within  this  section  there  are  few  variants  to  be  considered.  Be- 
ginning at  Winyah  Bay,  an  inland  waterway  such  as  is  now  pro- 
posed will  naturally  follow  the  line  of  the  Estherville-Minim  Creek 
Canal,  already  constructed,  leading  southward  to  North  Santee  Eiver. 

The  question  of  connecting  Santee  Eiver  and  Charleston  Harbor 
by  a  suitable  inland  route  has  long  been  under  consideration  and  dis- 
cussion, many  locations  having  been  proposed.  This  problem  was 
made  the  subject  of  investigation  in  the  course  of  a  preliminary 
examination  of  "  Waterways,  Columbia  and  Camden  to  Charleston," 
in  accordance  with  the  act  of  June  25,  1910.  At  that  time  five  possi- 
ble routes  were  passed  upon ;  but  of  these  only  two  can  here  be  con- 
sidered, as  the  remaining,  even  were  they  otherwise  feasible  and  eco- 
nomical, leave  the  Santee  at  points  too  far  up  the  river  to  permit  of 
their  forming  a  part  of  an  intracoastal  way.  The  two  routes  which 
can  be  considered  are  the  Wambraw-Wando  interior  route  and  the 
coastal  route,  both  of  which  have  been  advocated  by  local  interests. 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY — BEAUFORT,  N.  Cv  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  23 

The  investigations  above  referred  to  showed  that  the  Wambraw- 
Wando  route  would  be  unduly  costly  and  yet  have  no  material  ad- 
vantage over  the  coast  route.  For  this  reason  the  board  selected  the 
shore  line  for  detailed  survey. 

4.  CHARLESTON   HARBOR — SAVANNAH  RIVER. 

In  this  section  no  questions  of  alternative  route  arise.  Inland 
navigation  is  already  well  established  through  the  marine  marshes  in 
rear  of  the  sea  islands  upon  passages  which  in  general  lend  themselves 
to  improvement  to  the  depths  now  proposed.  There  are  no  prac- 
ticable interior  routes. 

5.  SAVANNAH   RIVER  ST.   JOHNS  RIVER. 

Here,  as  in  the  previous  section,  there  are  no  questions  of  alterna- 
tive routes,  the  inland  passages  through  the  marine  marshes  being 
already  well  established  and  susceptible  at  very  moderate  cost  of  fur- 
ther improvement  to  the  depths  now  contemplated.  No  interior  lines 
are  worthy  of  consideration. 

6.  ST.  JOHNS  RIVER  INDIAN  RIVER. 

In  this  section  several  alternatives  present  themselves,  all  of  which 
have  been  investigated,  with  results  as  follows : 

(a)  The  shore  line. — This  is  strictly  shore  line  location  parallel 
to  and  near  the  ocean,  extending  from  St.  Johns  River  at  Pablo 
Creek  to  a  point  about  5J  miles  north  of  Titusville.  While  this  route 
is  direct  and  short,  the  advance  examinations  developed  the  necessity 
of  heavy  cutting,  some  of  which  is  in  rock,  and  preliminary  esti- 
mates indicated  a  cost  of  approximately  $5,500,000.  The  use  of  this 
line  is  also  complicated  by  the  fact  that  it  is  now  occupied  by  a  small 
private  canal,  which,  while  of  little  value  as  saving  excavation  for 
the  intracoastal  canal,  would  nevertheless  have  to  be  acquired  at 
a  cost  to  be  added  to  the  figure  stated  above. 

(b)  The  Crescent  Lake  route. — This  line  follows  the  St.  Johns 
River  from  Pablo  Creek  to  Dunns  Creek;  thence  through  Dunns 
Creek  to  Crescent  Lake  and  Haw  Creek  and  by  the  Florida  East 
Coast  Canal  to  a  point  5J  miles  north  of  Titusville.  The  route  is 
longer  than  the  previous  and  while  engineering  difficulties  appear 
approximately  the  same,  the  cost  would  be  only  slightly  less.  The 
preliminary  estimates  indicated  a  probable  expense  of  about 
$5,900,000. 

(c)  The  Lake  Harney  route. — This  line  follows  up  the  St.  Johns 
River  to  Lake  Harney ;  thence  across  country  by  canal  to  the  Indian 
River  and  to  a  point  5J  miles  north  of  Titusville.  This  again  is  a 
line  longer  than  the  previous,  but  has  the  advantage  of  utilizing  a 
great  part  of  the  St.  J ohns  River,  which  lends  itself  well  to  improve- 
ment for  the  depths  contemplated.  Engineering  difficulties  are  less 
than  in  the  preceding  routes;  preliminary  estimates  indicated  a  cost 
somewhat  over  $4,400,000. 

(d)  The  Lake  Shad-Salt  Lake  route. — This  line  also  follows  up 
the  St.  Johns  Valley,  passing  Lake  Harney,  and  leading  up  to  Salt 


24     INTBAC 0 AST AL  WATEKWAY — BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 


Run;  thence  through  Lake  Shad  and  Salt  Lake;  and  thence  across 
country  by  a  short  canal  to  the  Indian  River  near  Titusville.  This 
route  has  all  the  advantages  urged  for  the  immediately  preceding 
and  at  the  same  time  promises  less  construction  difficulty  and  less 
initial  cost;  preliminary  estimates  place  the  latter  at  less  than 
$4,000,000. 

The  board  examined  these  four  alternatives,  selecting  the  last  as 
being  the  most  advantageous,  and  directed  its  detailed  survey. ' 

7.  INDIAN  RIVER— BISCAY NE  BAY. 

Here  no  alternatives  are  offered.  The  canal  must  follow  the 
lagoons  and  depressions  parallel  to  and  in  rear  of  the  ocean 
beaches. 

8.  BISCAYNE  BAY-KEY  WEST. 

Between  these  two  points  nature  has  provided  a  10-foot  water- 
way in  the  Hawk  Channel.  No  reasonable  alternative  presents  itself. 

Section  IV. — Description  of  Route  as  Finally  Surveyed  and 

Adopted. 

The  major  variants  discussed  above  having  been  canvassed,  the 
final  surveys  were  organized  to  cover  the  selected  general  location. 
It  was  expected  that  the  detailed  work  would  develop  minor  variants. 
The  field  surveys  covered  all  such  and  placed  the  board  in  possession 
of  the  information  required  to  make  a  final  determination  of  the  line 
upon  which  to  base  its  estimates. 

1.  BEAUFORT-CAPE  FEAR  RIVER. 

Beginning  at  Beaufort  Harbor  the  line  leads  up  the  present  navi- 
gable channel  within  Bogue  Sound,  generally  near  the  northern 
shore,  to  a  point  about  5  miles  from  Swansboro.  In  the  first  10 
miles  this  channel  varies  in  natural  depth  from  8  to  9  feet  and  in 
width  from  300  to  400  feet,  requiring  little  further  dredging;  the 
remainder  has  a  navigable  depth  of  about  2  feet  at  mean  low  water. 
Continuing  the  located  line  departs  from  the  existing  channel,  pass- 
ing through  the  marine  marshes  close  to  the  northern  shore,  crossing 
into  the  White  Oak  River  at  Swansboro.  In  actual  excavation  of 
these  stretches  it  is  proposed  that  the  material  shall  be  deposited 
to  the  south  of  the  dredged  channel  to  form  a  continuous  bank  ris- 
ing above  high  water  and  isolating  the  canal  from  the  main  body 
of  the  sound.  This  disposal  of  dredged  material  will  protect  the 
cut  from  encroaching  sand.  In  the  vicinity  of  Swansboro  the  layout 
of  the  channel  should  be  noted,  the  purpose  here  having  been  to 
avoid  cross  currents  and  prevent  deterioration  of  the  channel  by 
reason  of  tidal  flow  in  and  out  of  Bogue  Inlet. 

Continuing  from  Swansboro  to  New  River,  the  located  line  passes 
through  broad  marine  marshes  cut  up  by  numerous  sloughs  and 
creeks.  No  attempt  has  been  made  to  follow  the  existing  channel, 
as  this  is  too  tortuous  for  present  purposes.  The  new  location  is 
made  to  follow  close  to  the  shore  line  of  the  mainland.  Opposite 


INTKACOASTAL  WATEKWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  25 

these  stretches  there  are  two  small  inlets — Bear  and  Brown — having 
a  depth  of  from  2  to  4  feet  upon  their  bars,  but  fairly  stable  in  posi- 
tion. If  in  these  stretches  the  dredged  material  is  deposited  on  the 
seaward  side,  forming  a  continuous  dike,  protecting  the  cut  and  con- 
fining the  tidal  flow  to  the  New  River  and  White  Oak  River  en- 
trances, cross  currents  in  the  canal  will  be  obviated  and  no  delete- 
rious effects  from  the  tidal  flow  through  Bear  and  Brown  Inlets  need 
be  anticipated. 

In  crossing  New  River,  as  at  White  Oak  River,  the  canal  location 
is  designed  to  avoid  cross  currents,  being  carried  up  through  Howards 
and  Salliers  Bay,  on  the  east,  into  the  wide  portion  of  the  main  river, 
and  well  around  the  marine  marshes  of  the  interior  delta.  This 
arrangement  also  gives  access  to  the  channel  of  New  River. 

Continuing  from  New  River  to  Cape  Fear  River,  the  canal  location 
passes  through  five  small  sounds,  each  connected  to  the  ocean  by  an 
inlet.  Within  the  sounds  there  is  an  intricate  network  of  channels, 
but  none  of  sufficient  capacity  to  be  included  as  a  section  of  the  intra- 
coastal  way.  The  inlets  referred  to  are  responsible  for  detrimental 
effects  against  which  the  design  must  guard.  Storm  tides  carry 
through  and  deposit  within  the  inlets  large  quantities  of  sand,  form- 
ing nuclei  for  growth  of  marine  marsh ;  and  the  ordinary  tidal  flow 
entering  at  the  several  inlets  deposits  such  sediment  at  intermediate 
points  known  as  "  dividings."  So  that,  in  this  section,  as  previously, 
it  is  advisable  to  deposit  dredged  material  in  such  way  as  to  form  a 
continuous  dike  to  seaward  of  the  cut,  protecting  the  canal  from  dis- 
turbances and  utilizing  only  one  or  two  of  the  larger  inlets  to  pass  the 
tidal  flow.  In  view  of  these  considerations  the  location  line,  depart- 
ing from  New  River,  enters  Chadwicks  Bay  across  a  narrow  neck  of 
land  projecting  into  the  marine  marshes,  and  passes  down  Alligator 
Bay,  Stump,  Topsail,  Masonboro,  and  Myrtle  Sounds,  following  close 
to  the  mainland  until  it  reaches  a  point  near  the  southern  end  of 
Myrtle  Sound,  where  the  marshes  nearly  tail  out.  Here  the  line  is 
but  1  mile  distant  from  the  Cape  Fear  River,  being  separated  by  a 
low  ridge  of  sand  hills  about  25  feet  in  height. 

Special  investigations  were  undertaken  to  determine  the  best  loca- 
tion for  the  crossing  into  Cape  Fear  River.  The  following  locations 
were  considered: 

(a)  Scotts  Hill  Crossing, — A  trial  line  was  run  through  Foys 
Creek  northward  past  Scotts  Hill,  thence  to  the  head  of  and  down 
Island  Creek  to  the  Northeast  Cape  Fear  River,  at  a  point  from 
which  a  depth  of  10  feet  is  available  continuously  down  the  stream. 
This  crossing  is  7  miles  long  and  has  a  maximum  elevation  of  54  feet 
at  Scotts  Hill.  Excavation  of  a  sea-level  canal  at  this  point  would 
involve  the  removal  of  6,728,139  cubic  yards  of  earth,  and  construc- 
tion of  a  guard  lock  to  shut  out  the  10-foot  floods  of  the  Northeast 
Cape  Fear.  Moreover,  the  material  is  such  that  instability  of  side 
slopes  must  be  expected,  making  maintenance  charges  probably  high. 
This  crossing  would  also  involve  an  increase  in  length  of  the  canal 
of  24  miles.    The  cost  of  the  crossing  alone  is  estimated  at  $1,800,000, 

(b)  Hewletts  Creek  Crossing. — This  possible  line  leaves  the 
marshes  at  Hewletts  Creek,  just  below  WrightsviJle,  passing  across 
the  divide  to  Bernards  Creek,  on  the  Cape  Fear  River,  the  maximum 
elevation  being  42  feet,  with  total  length  of  cut  of  8  miles.    The  ex- 


26     INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  Cv  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

cavation  involved  is  large.  The  cost  of  the  crossing  alone  is  esti- 
mated at  $1,600,000. 

(c)  The  Carolina  Beach  Crossing. — Here,  as  indicated  before,  the 
marine  marshes  lie  but  1  mile  to  the  east  of  the  Cape  Fear  River, 
and  a  crossing  can  readily  be  effected,  encountering  no  elevation 
greater  than  30  feet.    This  is  estimated  to  cost  $166,000. 

While  the  higher  crossings  (a)  and  -(b)  have  been  advocated  by 
the  citizens  of  Wilmington  for  the  reason  that  they  would  bring  the 
canal  line  past  or  close  to  their  city,  the  board,  in  conformity  with 
the  general  principles  established  for  a  through  route,  has  considered 
such  arguments  inadmissible  and  has  selected  the  lower  or  Carolina 
Beach  crossing  as  being  the  least  costly  and  most  advantageous. 

As  adopted  the  line  leaves  the  marine  marshes  at  a  point  opposite 
Carolina  Beach,  passes  directly  across  the  divide  and  into  the  Cape 
Fear  River  by  Telford  Creek.  Here  the  Cape  Fear  River  is  about  2 
miles  in  width  and  the  deep  channel  is  found  along  the  western  shore, 
so  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  carry  the  inland  waterway  across  the 
mud  flats  of  the  eastern  shore  to  reach  deep  water.  This  is  to  be 
accomplished  by  prolonging  the  canal  between  stone  dikes  until  it 
reaches  a  slough  on  the  eastern  side,  thence  down  the  slough  into  the 
main  dredged  channel.  Additional  training  walls  may  be  required 
below  the  canal  entrance  in  order  to  obviate  cross  sections.  With 
these  constructions  the  prolongation  of  the  canal  can  be  made  to  hold 
its  depths. 

In  general  it  is  believed  that  the  canal  location  as  adopted  from 
Beaufort  to  Cape  Fear  River  can  be  accepted  with  assurance  of  per- .  • 
manence  and  stability.  It  is  sea  level  throughout  and,  while  located 
quite  close  to  the  ocean,  should  not  be  open  to  seriously  disturbing 
influences.  It  has  been  stated  that  the  coast  line  appears  to  be  under- 
going slow  degradation,  but  the  rate  of  recession,  in  case  such  there 
is,  has  been  extremely  small.  The  principal  changes  in  the  past  50 
years  have  occurred  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  inlets.  Some  former 
inlets  have  entirely  closed  up,  some  new  inlets  have  formed,  while 
others  have  shifted  their  positions  by  distances  varying  from  a  few 
hundred  feet  to  several  hundred  yards.  But  there  appears  to  have 
been  no  great  recession  of  the  general  line  of  the  coast;  in  fact,  at 
points  the  fore  shore  has  advanced,  so  that  it  now  appears  that  the 
coast  line  fluctuates  slightly  on  both  sides  of  what  may  be  termed  a 
"mean"  position,  there  being  periods  of  recession  and  subsequent 
periods  of  advance.  In  any  case  the  rate  of  change  in  the  past  50 
years  and  more  has  been  so  slight  that  no  disturbance  of  the  canal 
as  located  need  be  anticipated. 

2.  CAPE  FEAR — LITTLE  RIVER. 

The  canal  line  leaves  deep  water  of  Cape  Fear  River  at  Southport, 
about  3  miles  from  the  ocean  entrance;  continues  at  sea  level  for  6 
miles  up  the  marshes  bordering  Elizabeth  River,  running  approxi- 
mately parallel  to  the  coast  at  a  distance  inland  of  about  1%  miles. 
At  the  head  of  the  Elizabeth  River  the  canal  is  to  be  stepped  by  a 
standard  lock  to  a  6-foot  level  and  continued  at  this  level  to  Little 
River,  the  end  of  this  section. 

From  the  begmning  of  the  6-foot  level  the  canal  passes  through 
the  longitudinal  depressions  to  Davis  Creek,  a  tributary  of  Lock- 


INTEACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C.,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  27 

woods  Folly  River.  The  maximum  elevation  herein  encountered  is 
30  feet  above  mean  low  water.  The  mouth  of  Davis  Creek  is  to  be 
closed  by  a  fixed  earthen  dam  retaining  the  6-foot  level.  The  catial 
is  then  carried  from  Davis  Creek  across  a  small  neck,  maximum  ele- 
vation 20  feet,  into  Lockwoods  Folly  River,  the  latter  also  being 
closed  by  a  concrete  dam  to  retain  the  6-foot  level. 

Continuing  from  Lockwoods  Folly  the  canal  line  is  carried  through 
a  series  of  low  sand  ridges  and  valleys,  maximum  elevation  being  30 
to  32  feet,  into  Little  Shallotte  River  and  thence  down  to  Shallotte 
River  proper.  Here  the  crossing  will  be  effected  as  previously  by  the 
construction  of  a  concrete  dam,  raising  the  Shallotte  River  to  the 
6- foot  level,  and  the  canal  carried  forward  through  low  sand  ridges 
and  valleys  into  Saucepan  Swamp,  Saucepan  Creek,  and  Calabash 
Creek.  Following  down  Calabash  River,  which  is  to  be  backed  up 
by  a  6-foot  earthen  dam,  the  canal  line  reaches  a  point  opposite  Lit- 
tle River  Inlet  and  is  turned  inland  at  Mulletts  Creek  as  the  first 
stage  of  crossing  into  the  Waccamaw  River. 

In  the  foregoing  section,  Cape  Fear  to  Little  River,  consideration 
was  had  of  both  sea-level  and  6-foot-level  canals.  While  the  latter 
will  require  locks  it  will  involve  much  less  excavation;  perfect  pro- 
tection against  tidal  currents  will  be  had ;  no  cross  currents  at  Lock- 
woods  Folly  River  and  Shallotte  River  will  be  encountered,  and  the 
prism  of  excavation  will  be  kept  well  above  underlying  rock.  Ade- 
quate water  supply  can  be  had  at  all  periods  of  the  year  by  retaining 
the  discharge  of  Shallotte  and  Lockwoods  Folly  Rivers  as  herein  pro- 
posed. 

3.  LITTLE  RIVER  WIN  YAH  BAY. 

The  location  within  this  section  was  determined  by  three  practical 
considerations.  First,  on  account  of  the  height  of  the  ridge  between 
the  ocean  and  the  Waccamaw  River,  running  up  to  50  feet,  it  was 
necessary  to  select  the  shortest  line  of  crossing  in  order  to  hold  down 
excavation  cost.  Second,  the  whole  back  country  being  compara- 
tively flat,  it  was  necessary  to  keep  the  summit  level  down  to  an  eleva- 
tion such  that  water  could  be  supplied  to  the  canal  prism.  Third, 
the  material  encountered  in  the  Waccamaw  Peninsula  being  of  a 
comparatively  unstable  character,  it  was  necessary,  within  the  limita- 
tions of  the  two  preceding  considerations,  to  reduce  the  depth  of  cut 
to  a  minimum  in  order  to  hold  down  deterioration  and  incident  high 
maintenance  charges. 

A  thorough  reconnoissance  was  made  of  the  region  lying  between 
the  ocean  and  the  Waccamaw  Valley.  The  crossing  from  Mulletts 
Creek  directly  to  Worthams  Bridge  on  the  Waccamaw  River  was 
selected  as  that  which  offered  least  probable  excavation.  The  Wac- 
camaw Valley  was  then  surveyed  to  determine  low-water  and  flood 
elevations  in  order  that  available  water  supply  might  be  computed. 
This  survey  disclosed  the  fact  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  obtain 
the  water  from  some  site  above  the  crossing,  as  the  low-water  eleva- 
tion in  the  Waccamaw  River  at  Worthams  Bridge  is  approximately 
14,  and  the  practicability  of  damming  the  valley  at  that  point  and 
of  raising  the  water  to  any  considerably  greater  level  was  small. 
The  survey  was  continued  upstream  to  locate  the  nearest  suitable  dam 
site.    This  was  found  at  Pireway,  where,  by  the  construction  of  a 


28     INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

dam  of  low  profile  entirely  across  the  valley  from  high  land  to  high 
land,  it  would  be  possible  to  back  up  the  water  to  any  elevation  not 
exceeding  30. 

Tentative  computations  were  then  made  to  detefmine  the  econom- 
ical elevation  for  the  crossing.  Costs  of  20-foot,  24-foot,  26-foot,  and 
28-foot  summit  levels  were  computed  and  compared,  with  the  result 
that  the  28-foot  level  was  shown  to  be  the  least  costly  and,  all  condi- 
tions considered,  that  which  promised  the  least  expense  in  main- 
tenance. No  greater  elevation  could  well  be  taken  without  forfeiting 
water  supply. 

To  accomplish  the  crossing  at  this  elevation  two  locks,  one  of  12 
and  one  of  10-foot  lift,  will  be  required  at  the  eastern  end,  where 
suitable  marl  foundations  have  been  developed.  The  excavation  will 
be  carried  through  nonresisting  material  at  reasonable  initial  cost; 
but  it  will  probably  be  necessary  to  flatten  the  side  slopes  consider- 
ably below  those  of  the  normal  prism,  say  to  1:3,  as  much  of  the 
material  is  saturated  with  water  and  may  prove  less  stable  than  that 
found  in  the  adjacent  country.  Provision  for  this  is  included  in  the 
estimates. 

To  feed  the  summit  level  the  design  contemplates  the  construction 
of  a  fixed  dam  at  Pireway,  extending  from  high  land  on  the  west  side 
of  the  valley,  crossing  the  channel  of  the  river  as  a  concrete  gravity 
section,  and  thence  across  the  river  swamp  as  a  concrete  and  crib 
spillway,  to  high  land  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley.  The  eleva- 
tion of  the  crest  of  the  dam  proper  is  to  be  30,  that  of  the  spillway 
30.5.  It  is  also  advisable  to  extend  the  concrete  sill  from  the  30-foot 
knoll  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley  across  to  the  opposite  high  and 
dry  land,  this  section  to  be  at  32  in  order  to  prevent  overflow  between 
the  knoll  and  the  high  land  opposite. 

The  Pireway  Dam  creates  a  reservoir  at  elevation  30  impounding 
the  water  over  an  area  of  approximtely  13,000  acres  and  collecting 
the  run-off  from  the  watershed  of  625  square  miles  of  comparatively 
flat  country.  The  water  supply  so  obtained  is  adequate,  the  dis- 
charge being  never  less  than  225  cubic  feet  per  second. 

The  reservoir  is  to  be  connected  with  the  canal  at  elevation  28  by  a 
feeder  about  31,000  feet  long,  the  supply  being  regulated  by  control 
gates  at  each  end.  Cross  section  of  the  feeder  is  fixed  at  30  feet  bot- 
tom width,  with  side  slopes  of  2:3,  this  being  sufficient,  with  the 
given  difference  of  head,  to  carry  a  discharge  somewhat  greater  than 
the  normal  low-water  discharge  of  the  Waccamaw  River.  The  feeder 
is  to  reach  frhe  canal  proper  in  the  vicinity  of  Worthams  Bridge. 

The  crossing  into  the  Waccamaw  Valley  having  been  determined, 
the  question  arose  as  to  whether  the  canal  should  be  carried  down  the 
river  proper  throughout,  or  as  a  lateral  canal  throughout,  or  in  part 
by  each  method.  Surveys  disclosed  that  the  last  alternative  would 
provide  the  correct  solution.  The  Upper  Waccamaw  from  Worthams 
B ridge  down  to  Red  Bluff  is  exceedingly  tortuous ;  during  low-water 
periods  it  is  of  very  small  prism,  and  has  prohibitive  slope.  To  use 
this  section  of  the  river  in  open-channel  work  would  be  impracticable. 
To  canalize,  in  view  of  the  breadth  of  the  valley,  would  be  very  costly. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  slopes  on  the  western  side  disclose  an  excellent 
location  for  a  lateral  line,  where  construction  will  be  comparatively 
inexpensive,  and  by  which  the  28-foot  level  can  be  prolonged  well 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY — BEAUFORT,  N«  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  29 

down  the  valley,  thus  being  kept  above  floods  and  freed  from  liability 
to  disaster. 

From  Red  Bluff  down  to  Conway  both  low  and  high  water  slopes 
are  much  gentler ;  and  while  the  channel  is  still  quite  tortuous,  it  has 
larger  cross  section  and  offers  reasonable  possibility  for  open  channel 
work.  A  lateral  canal  having  been  determined  upon  for  the  section 
above  Red  Bluff,  it  then  became  a  question  of  locating  a  satisfactory 
point  at  or  below  Red  Bluff  for  entering  the  main  channel  of  the 
river.  This  was  found  at  Bear  Bluff,  where  the  slopes  of  high  land 
are  bordered  by  the  main  channel  of  the  river,  and  where  access  to 
the  main  channel  can  be  had  without  crossing  the  swamps.  Suitable 
lock  foundations  upon  stiff  clay  were  here  developed. 

To  proceed  downstream  from  Bear  Bluff,  tentative  estimates  were 
made  upon  the  probable  cost  of  straight  open  channel  work.  It  was 
found  that,  by  reason  of  many  shoals  between  Bear  Bluff  and  Con- 
way, the  total  excavation  would  be  large;  and  that  in  view  of  the 
character  of  the  river,  maintenance  charges  would  probably  be  high. 
Investigations  were  then  undertaken  to  determine  the  practicability 
of  raising  the  water  level.  The  construction  of  the  valley  proper  at 
Conway  Avas  found  to  offer  a  site  for  a  dam  of  low  profile  (similar  in 
all  respects  to  that  proposed  for  Pireway)  by  which  the  low- water 
level,  normally  +3-4,  might  be  raised  to  +9  without  flooding  any 
land  other  than  that  normally  subject  to  flood  each  year,  and  without 
materially  raising  the  flood  plane.  By  this  means  the  open  river 
work  in  the  section  Bear  Bluff-Conway  can  be  reduced  to  compara- 
tively limited  dredging  and  straightening  of  bends,  and  an  economi- 
cal and  satisfactory  channel  will  be  obtained  in  which  only  slight 
deterioration  need  be  expected. 

Upon  this  design  the  canal  is  dropped  from  28  to  9  by  two  locks 
placed  at  Bear  Bluff,  and  continues  at  Conway  at  9  within  the 
straightened  and  widened  channel  of  the  river. 

At  Conway  the  canal  level  is  again  dropped  to  normal  low-water 
level  of  the  Waccamaw  River,  3.4.  From  this  point  downstream  the 
slope  is  exceedingly  small  and  the  lunar  tidal  effects  are  pronounced ; 
the  canal  will  be  carried  in  the  open  river  as  straightened  and  deep- 
ened by  projects  now  in  course  of  execution.  It  may  be  noted  that 
the  United  States  is  already  committed  to  the  creation  of,  a  12-foot 
open-river  navigation  from  Conway  down  to  Winy  ah  Bay,  as  this 
project  has  been  adopted  and  is  now  under  way. 

It  is  a  comparatively  simple  work,  can  be  accomplished  by  dredg- 
ing alone,  and  will  be  confined  to  the  22  miles  above  the  mouth  of 
Bull  Creek.  But  the  board  has  reason  to  believe  that  the  estimates 
under  which  this  project  is  now  being  carried  on  are  inadequate,  and 
it  seems  proper  to  include  in  this  report  an  estimate  for  funds  suffi- 
cient unquestionably  to  complete  the  projected  work  to  a  depth  of 
10  feet. 

From  Bull  Creek  to  Winyah  Bay  th^  Waccamaw  River  has  a  chan- 
nel at  no  point  less  than  12  feet  deep,  and  at  no  point  less  than  100 
feet  wide,  so  that  no  further  work  will  be  required. 

4.  WINYAH  BAY  CHARLESTON  HARBOR. 

It  should  be  noted  at  the  beginning  that  the  United  States  is  now 
engaged  in  excavating  an  18-foot  channel  from  Georgetown,  through 


30     INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,       Cv  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

Winyah  Bay,  to  the  sea.  The  channel  follows  the  so-called  western 
line,  passing  close  to  the  western  shore  of  the  bay,  so  that  intra- 
coastal  traffic  passing  down  the  Waccamaw  River  can  reach  the 
mouth  of  the  Estherville-Minim  Creek  Canal  without  any  improve- 
ment other  than  that  now  in  progress. 

The  canal  line  then  enters  the  Estherville  Canal,  already  constructed 
under  Federal  appropriations.  This  passage,  having  at  present  a 
depth  of  6  feet,  leads  through  low  land  in  rear  of  Cat  Island,  reach- 
ing Minim  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  North  Santee  Eiver.  Enlarge- 
ment to  full  prism  and  limited  dredging  in  Minim  Creek  and  Crow 
Island  Crossing  will  be  required.  Passing  on,  the  canal  crosses  deep 
water  of  the  North  Santee  to  a  point  opposite  the  delta,  where  a  solid 
cut  is  to  be  made  through  the  low-lying  marsh  land,  giving  access  to 
the  South  Santee. 

Unlike  the  north  branch,  the  South  Santee  has  little  fresh  water 
discharge,  its  flow  being  largely  tidal.  As  a  consequence  its.  depths 
are  considerably  less  than  those  of  the  north  branch,  and  in  order 
to  effect  a  crossing  to  the  mouth  of  Alligator  Creek  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  build  training  walls,  as  shown  on  the  plan,  and  probably  to 
establish  a  channel  by  dredging.  It  should  be  understood  that  the 
training  walls  are  for  purposes  of  effecting  the  crossing  only ;  and  it 
is  believed  that  once  the  channel  has  been  established  it  will  be  held 
permanently  in  position  with  full  depth. 

Leaving  the  South  Santee  River  the  canal  line  passes  across  a 
neck  of  land  into  Alligator  Creek;  following  up  that  creek,  utilizing 
its  prism  so  far  as  practicable,  to  the  broad  marsh  area  of  the  Cape 
Romain  Peninsula. 

Here  again  the  canal  utilizes  the  tidal  passages  where  they  have 
sufficient  depth  to  offer  economical  location;  otherwise  crosses  the 
marshes  by  direct  cuts,  terminating  eventually  in  the  straight,  deep 
reaches  of  Harbor  River  south  of  McClellanville. 

From  this  point  it  is  necessary  to  carry  the  canal  through  the 
marshes  in  rear  of  Bull  Bay,  as  the  latter  is  broad,  open,  and  exposed 
to  gales  from  the  east.  Existing  tidal  passages  are  utilized  where 
practicable,  and  the  route  follows  generally  the  cuts  already  effected 
in  the  course  of  the  construction  of  a  4-foot  waterway  to  McClellan- 
ville. 

From  Bull  Bay  southward  to  Charleston  Harbor  the  work  is  less 
difficult.  There  is  already  in  existence  a  waterway  having  depth  of 
4  feet  at  mean  low  water,  from  which  few  departures  are  made. 
The  line  is  continuously  in  rear  of  the  sea  islands,  well  sheltered,  and 
economical  of  construction. 

Throughout  this  section,  Winyah  Bay  to  Charleston  Harbor,  the 
work  leads  continuously  through  soft  and  low  lying  material,  such 
as  can  readily  be  removed  by  hydraulic  dredges.  Technically,  it  is 
necessary  only  to  note  that  where  the  line  is  carried  across  broad, 
open  sounds,  having  naturally  little  depth,  it  will  be  advisable,  as 
on  the  North  Carolina  coast,  to  deposit  the  material  to  seaward  of 
the  cut,  closing  minor  sloughs  to  seaward  but  leaving  open  the  large 
tidal  entrances  and  being  particular  to  close  no  sloughs  to  landward. 

The  canal  location  in  this  section  terminates  in  deep  water  of 
Charleston  Harbor  at  the  entrance  to  Sullivans  Island  Cove. 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY — BEAUFORT,  N.  Cv  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  31 


5.  CHARLESTON  HARBOR — SAVANNAH  RIVER. 

Within  this  section  inland  navigation  is  already  well  established, 
and  in  general  the  canal  location  follows  the  line  now  in  use,  leaving 
deep  water  of  Charleston  Harbor  in  the  Ashley  River  at  the  entrance 
to  Wappoo  Creek,  passing  up  that  creek,  up  Stono  River,  through 
Church  Flats,  down  Wadmelaw  River,  across  North  Edisto  and  up 
Dawho.  These  passages  will  require  enlargement  and  limited  recti- 
fication to  make  them  suitable  links  to  the  intracoastal  way. 

Halfway  through  Dawho  the  first  variant  is  introduced,  the  line 
being  carried  up  North  Creek  and  directly  across  country  into  South 
Edisto  River,  this  departure  being  designed  to  shorten  the  route  and 
eliminate  the  tortuous  upper  Dawho. 

Passing  down  South  Edisto  and  through  the  Fenwick  Island  Cut 
the  line  reaches  Ashepoo  River.  Here  a  second  variant  is  introduced. 
Vessels  now  pass  down  Ashepoo  River  into  and  across  St.  Helena 
Sound,  but  at  considerable  risk.  This  sound  is  broad,  open,  and 
exposed,  and  obstructed  by  long  sand  spits  reaching  well  out  toward 
the  ocean.  It  has  been  deemed  advisable  to  eliminate  this  hazardous 
crossing  by  carrying  the  canal  across  the  marshland  of  Hutchinsons 
Islands,  following  the  tidal  creeks  where  practicable,  and  so  into  the 
sheltered  waters  of  Coosaw  River.  This  work  involves  considerable 
excavation,  but  the  expense  is  justified  by  the  superior  convenience 
and  safety  of  the  route  so  secured. 

The  canal  line  is  then  carried  up  deep  water  of  Coosaw  River  to 
and  through  Brickyard  Creek  to  Beaufort  River,  passing  down  the 
latter  to  Port  Royal. 

Here,  again,  a  departure  from  the  present  route  is  made  to  obviate 
the  necessity  of  crossing  Port  Royal  Sound,  where  conditions  are 
similar  to  those  at  St.  Helena.  This  can  be  accomplished  at  small 
expense  by  enlarging  Archers  Creek  and  the  Rose  Islands  Passage, 
thus  providing  a  sheltered  way  from  the  Beaufort  River  across 
Broad  River  and  down  Chechessee  to  mouth  of  Skull  Creek. 

From  this  point  on,  by  way  of  Skull  Creek,  Calibogue  Sound,  and 
Cooper  River,  which  are  adequate  without  improvement,  the  small 
passage  called  Ramshorn  Creek  can  be  reached.  The  Ramshorn  is 
to  be  dredged  and  straightened,  the  canal  line  following  thence  to 
and  down  the  deep  waters  of  New  and  Wrights  Rivers  to  Mud  River. 
The  latter,  having  now  depths  varying  from  6.5  to  10  feet,  will,  with 
little  dredging,  carry  the  route  through  to  deep  water  of  Savan- 
nah River. 

All  of  the  work  from  Charleston  Harbor  to  Savannah  River  can 
be  accomplished  by  hydraulic  dredges  of  moderate  power.  No  hard 
material  will  be  encountered,  all  excavation  being  in  mud,  shell,  and 
sand. 

6.  SAVANNAH  RIVER  FERN ANDIN A . 

On  the  coast  of  Georgia  there  has  always  existed  a  sheltered  or 
inside  waterway  which  has  been  known  and  used  from  the  time  of 
the  earliest  settlement  of  the  colony.  The  extensive  sea  marshes  and 
large  sea  islands  lend  themselves  readily  to  the  formation  of  such  a 
route. 


32     INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY — BEAUFORT,  IT.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

The  natural  waterway  has  been  improved  and  shortened  by  the 
Federal  Government,  first  by  works  undertaken  at  detached  localities, 
later  under  a  general  project  as  a  single  work.  Expenditures  to  date 
have  sufficed  to  secure  a  channel  having  a  depth  of  7  feet  at  mean 
low  water  and  a  bottom  width  of  75  feet  minimum.  The  mean  rise 
and  fall  of  the  tide  along  the  route  is  about  7  feet,  so  that  by  taking 
advantage  of  the  flood  it  is  possible  for  vessels  to  pass  through  draw- 
ing as  much  as  12  feet. 

The  development  of  this  route  to  the  dimensions  required  for  the 
intracoastal  waterway  is  comparatively  a  simple  matter,  being  merely 
a  question  of  dredging  at  a  few  localities.  Only  one  change  from  the 
route  now  used  is  recommended,  namely,  the  sections  for  Front  and 
Sapelo  Rivers,  which  are  designed  to  avoid  the  difficult  passage 
through  Mud  River. 

In  detail,  the  canal  location  leaves  the  Savannah  River  by  St. 
Augustine  Creek,  at  the  mouth  of  which  a  very  small  amount  of 
dredging  will  be  required,  and  passes  down  Wilmington  River  into 
Skid  away  Narrows.  The  latter  is  one  of  the  few  constricted  points 
of  this  section;  to  increase  its  prism  to  that  herein  contemplated, 
excavation  to  the  amount  of  650,000  yards  will  be  required.  Leaving 
Skidaway  Narrows  the  line  passes  into  Burnside  River,  which  will 
require  some  enlargement;  thence  into  and  down  Vernon  River  to 
and  through  Hell  Gate  and  by  Ogeechee  River  to  the  Florida  Pas- 
sage. The  latter  is  another  constricted  section  where  excavation 
amounting  to  83,000  yards  will  be  necessary.  Continuing  southward 
the  line  passes  through  Beaver  River,  across  into  St.  Catherine 
Sound,  and  up  Newport  River  to  and  through  Waldburg  and  John- 
sons Creeks.  Here  again  a  small  amount  of  dredging  will  open  the 
way  to  projected  width  and  depth.  From  Johnsons  Creek  the  line 
passes  into  South  Newport  River,  across  and  up  Sapelo  Sound  and 
to  the  mouth  of  Front  River.  Passing  through  Front  River,  Creigh- 
ton  Narrows,  South  Sapelo  Dividings,  and  Old  Teakettle  Creek 
many  shoals  and  constrictions  are  encountered,  the  removal  of  which 
will  require  excavation  aggregating  642,000  yards.  From  this  region 
the  line  passes  down  to  and  across  Doboy  Sound,  through  Darien 
River,  into  Old  South  River  and  Little  Mud  River,  where  further 
dredging,  about  251,600  cubic  yards  in  amount,  is  needed;  thence  to 
and  across  Altamaha  Sounds  up  Buttermilk  Sound,  and  through 
Frederica  River  to  St.  Simon  Sound.  The  Frederica  Passage,  like 
the  previous  dividings,  will  require  a  limited  amount  of  dredging. 
Leaving  St.  Simon  Sound  the  line  passes  through  Jekyl  Creek,  now 
under  improvement,  but  requiring  additional  dredging  to  the  amount 
of  268,000  yards  to  secure  the  prism  now  designed.  Passing  Jeky. 
Creek  the  line  crosses  St.  Andrews  Sound,  passes  up  Cumberland 
River  and  down  Cumberland  Sound  to  Fernandina,  requiring  onl 
limited  dredging  at  the  dividings  en  route  to  provide  the  fuL 
waterway. 

On  the  Georgia  coast  no  rock  will  be  encountered.  The  materia! 
is  such  as  can  readily  be  handled  by  hydraulic  dredges  of  moderate, 
power.  It  may  later  be  found  necessary  for  purposes  of  maintenance 
to  construct  training  walls  at  a  few  localities;  and  for  this  purpose 
$50,000  has  been  included  in  the  estimates. 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  Cv  TO  KET  WEST,  FLA.  33 

7.  FERNANDINA  ST.  JOHNS  RIVER. 

This  section  is  quite  similar  to  that  of  the  Georgia  coast,  with  the 
exception  that  the  existing  inland  channel  is  more  constricted  and 
tortuous,  especially  in  that  portion  of  the  section  from  Nassau  Sound 
to  the  St.  Johns  River. 

Leaving  Fernandina  on  Cumberland  Sound,  the  line  of  the  canal 
follows  up  Amelia  River,  through  Kingsleys  Cut  and  South  Amelia 
River  to  Nassau  Sound,  with  no  work  required  except  a  cut  through 
a  neck  of  marshland  and  to  avoid  a  difficult  bend  in  Kingsleys  Cut  and 
light  dredging  at  occasional  points  in  that  cut  and  South  Amelia 
River.  Leaving  South  Amelia  River,  the  route,  by  a  cut  across  a 
neck  of  marshland,  enters  Sawpit  Creek  and  follows  that  stream  for 
a  distance  of  a  little  over  1  mile,  and  thence,  in  preference  to  fol- 
lowing the  crooked,  constricted  channel  of  Sisters  Creek,  leads  by  a 
short  marsh  cut  to  Cedar  Point;  thence  through  a  short  section  of 
Sisters  Creek  and  through  a  second  marsh  cut,  following  the  general 
depression  of  Hannah  Mills  Creek  to  the  St.  Johns  River  in  rear  of 
the  White  Shells  training  wall,  which,  built  in  connection  with  the 
improvement  of  that  stream,  forms  a  satisfactory  protection  to  the 
channel  extending  from  the  marsh  cut  to  the  main  channel  of  the  St. 
Johns. 

No  material  is  encountered  along  any  portion  of  this  section  which 
can  not  be  economically  removed  by  a  hydraulic  dredge  of  moderate 
power. 

8.  ST.  JOHNS  RIVER-INDIAN  RIVER. 

(a)  St.  Johns  River  section. — The  canal  through  this  section  fol- 
lows the  existing  channel  in  the  St.  Johns  River,  which  now  provides 
a  depth  in  excess  of  10  feet  to  a  point  93.5  miles  south  of  the  entrance 
of  the  canal  from  Fernandina.  From  this  point  to  Sanford,  on  Lake 
Monroe,  a  farther  distance  of  73.7  miles,  the  river  is  now  being  im- 
proved by  dredging  and  rectification,  under  a  project  which  contem- 
plates securing  a  convenient  channel  8  feet  deep  and  100  feet  wide. 
As  a  general  thing  the  canal  alignment  follows  that  of  the  existing 
project,  the  work  required  being  merely  that  of  enlargement  to  the 
prism  adopted  by  the  board.  In  addition  a  number  of  bends,  suffi- 
ciently convenient  for  an  8-foot  channel  but  too  sharp  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  the  intracoastal  way,  are  avoided  by  cuts  across 
points.  The  inconsiderable  slope  of  the  stream  and  the  slight  eleva- 
tion of  the  land  on  the  point  to  be  thus  treated  simplify  exceedingly 
the  engineering  features  of  the  work. 

Between  Lake  Harney  and  Lake  Monroe,  a  distance  of  22.6  miles, 
I  the  river  is  very  crooked,  the  banks  low  and  ill  defined,  and  for 
b  most  of  the  distance  wide  expanses  of  marshy  land,  interspersed 
Y  with  shallow  sloughs  and  ponds,  border  the  stream.  Above  Lake 
^  Harney  to  Salt  Creek  the  conditions  are  very  similar,  the  marshes 

being  even  more  extensive,  the  bends  and  twists  more  pronounced. 
I      The  Federal  Government  is  already  committed  to  a  project  for  the 
z  improvement  of  that  section  of  the  stream  between  Lakes  Harney 
6  and  Monroe,  which  contemplates  securing  an  available  depth  of  5 
feet  and  ample  width  for  boats  of  light  draft.   The  work  required  is 
H.  Doc.  229,  6&-1  3 


34      INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N".  C.,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 


slight  and  consists  mainly  in  the  removal  of  the  shoals  at  the  outlet 
of  Lake  Harney  and  inlet  of  Lake  Monroe,  and  a  limited  amount  of 
dredging  here  and  there  to  deepen  or  widen  the  existing  channel. 

For  a  waterway  of  the  magnitude  of  the  one  under  consideration, 
utilization  of  this  inadequate  and  crooked  stream  is  neither  econom- 
ical nor  advisable  at  many  places.  The  line  adopted,  therefore,  while 
it  follows  the  river  where  practicable,  notably  from  Mullet  Lake  to 
Lake  Harney,  substitutes  marsh  cuts  for  the  existing  channel  between 
Lakes  Mullet  and  Monroe,  while  between  Lake  Harney  and  Salt  Run 
it  adheres  more  to  the  river  lowland  than  to  the  thread  of  the 
stream.  No  trouble  is  anticipated  from  this  character  of  treatment, 
as  there  is  no  appreciable  difference  in  elevation  between  Salt  Run 
and  Lake  Harney,  either  at  high  or  low  water  stages,  and  only  four- 
tenths  of  a  foot  difference  between  Lakes  Harney  and  Monroe  at  low 
water  and  one  and  six-tenths  feet  at  high  water.  All  of  the  excava- 
tion can  be  readily  accomplished  by  hydraulic  dredges. 

(b)  Salt  Run-Lakes  Ruth,  Shad,  and  Salt. — Entering  Salt  Run 
at  point  of  confluence  with  the  St.  Johns  River,  193  miles  south 
of  its  entrance  into  the  latter  stream,  the  canal  follows  the  general 
alignment  of  Salt  Run,  through  Lake  Ruth  in  a  general  easterly  di- 
rection, thence  northeasterly  into  and  through  Shad  Lake,  and  again 
easterly  into  and  through  Salt  Lake  to  the  edge  of  the  divide  between 
the  valleys  of  the  St.  Johns  and  Indian  Rivers.  These  lakes  and  con- 
necting waterways  have  a  depth  of  2.5  feet  at  low  water  and  at  such 
a  stage  cover  an  area  of  about  1,100  acres.  At  high  water  the  lakes 
are  all  connected,  the  surrounding  country  becoming  one  large  lake, 
covering  thousands  of  acres  and  extending  to  Lake  Harney.  Both 
at  high  and  low  water  differences  in  water  surface  elevations  are 
slight,  and  little  trouble  need  be  anticipated  from  excessive  currents. 
To  allow  for  the  depression  of  water  elevations  at  higher  points  due 
to  the  increased  prism  of  flow,  excavation,  which  can  be  all  done  by 
hydraulic  means,  is  estimated  below  mean  low  water  of  the  river  at 
Lake  Harney. 

(c)  Salt  Lake-Indian  River. — This  section  consists  of  a  cut  15.5 
miles  long,  through  the  divide  between  the  St.  Johns  and  Indian 
River  Valleys.  In  the  first  mile  from  Salt  Lake  leading  eastwardly 
the  ground  rises  to  -f-  16  feet,  from  this  point  to  the  fourth  mile 
gradually  to  +  28  feet,  descends  in  the  fifth  mile  to  +  20  feet,  and  in 
the  last  half  mile  to  +  4  feet,  the  mean  high-water  stage  of  the 
Indian  River. 

In  the  westerly  4  miles  of  the  canal  line  the  country  through 
which  the  route  extends  is  principally  marsh,  hammock,  and  open 
pine  lands,  uncultivated  and  with  no  population.  The  easterly  mile 
and  a  half  is  through  a  well-settled  country  interspersed  with  valuable 
orange  groves. 

Borings  taken  throughout  the  proposed  prism  indicate  that  for 
the  most  part  sand  is  to  be  expected,  with  some  coquina  rock  in  thin 
layers. 

The  low-water  level  of  Salt  Lake  is  -J-  6,  while  that  of  the  Indian 
River  is  about  0.0,  the  high-water  elevations  being,  respectively, 
+  12.7  and  -j-  4.  To  provide  against  an  undue  current  through  the 
canal  in  this  section,  and  also  against  possible  injury  to  the  St.  Johns 
River  between  Salt  Run  and  Lake  Monroe  by  a  diversion  through  an 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUEORT,  N.  C.;  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  35 

open  cut  of  the  river  flow  in  high  stages,  a  standard  lock  is  provided 
for,  which  will  have  a  low-water  lift  of  4.8  and  a  possible  maximum 
lift  of  12.7  feet. 

Two  railroad  bridges  at  the  standard  unit  cost  are  provided  for 
in  the  estimates  to  carry  the  main  line  and  a  branch  line  of  the 
Florida  East  Coast  Railroad,  and  excavation  has  been  placed  at 
the  figure  adopted  for  steam-shovel  work. 

9.  INDIAN  RIVER— KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

(a)  Indian  River-Jupiter  Inlet. — The  Indian  River,  more  prop- 
erly a  salt-water  lagoon,  varying  in  width  from  three-fourths  of  a 
mile  to  5  miles,  except  at  Indian  River  Narrows,  where  the  stream 
is  divided  into  many  narrow  channels,  extends  from  a  point  about  7 
miles  north  of  Titusville  to  St.  Lucie  Inlet,  its  present  mouth. 
Before  the  opening  of  St.  Lucie  Inlet  the  discharge  of  the  stream 
was  at  Jupiter  Inlet,  about  16  miles  farther  south.  This  inlet  is 
closed  at  the  present  time,  but  ma}7  be  expected  to  break  open  at  times 
of  heavy  rains,  closing  again  as  the  fresh-water  flow  decreases. 

While  the  channel  of  the  Indian  River  is  for  the  most  part  deeper 
than  6  feet,  and  over  a  considerable  mileage  has  a  depth  equal  to  or 
exceeding  that  of  the  waterway  being  considered,  it  was  originally 
obstructed  at  various  points  by  sand  shoals,  upon  the  removal  of 
which,  to  an  available  depth  of  5  feet,  the  Federal  Government  has 
expended  some  $59,342.98. 

Entering  the  Indian  River  from  the  cut  through  the  St.  Johns- 
Indian  River  divide,  the  canal  extends  under  the  protection  of  suit- 
able parallel  dikes  to  the  main  channel  of  the  stream,  which  is 
followed  thence  southerly  to  Jupiter  Inlet. 

The  work  required  consists  in  dredging  and  rock  excavation  to 
adapt  the  present  channel  to  the  needs  of  the  proposed  canal.  The 
shifting  sands  of  the  St.  Lucie  Inlet  crossing,  always  a  troublesome 
locality,  are  avoided  by  a  cut  through  the  short  neck  of  mangrove 
swamp  lying  between  Great  Pocket  and  Pecks  Lake. 

(b)  Jupiter  Inlet-Lake  Worth. — From  Jupiter  Inlet  the  line 
passes  southerly  through  Jupiter  Sound,  where  widening  and  deep- 
ening of  an  existing  channel  are  required,  into  Lake  Worth  Creek, 
a  small  navigable  stream  which  has  been  improved  by  the  Florida 
East  Coast  Canal  Co.,  and,  by  widening,  deepening,  and  straighten- 
ing, follows  that  stream  to  Lake  Worth.  This  body  of  water,  more 
properly  a  salt-water  lagoon,  varies  in  width  from  about  1,000  feet 
to  1  mile,  has  a  length  of  21  miles  in  a  north  and  south  direction, 
and  a  depth  in  excess  of  6  feet  for  60  per  cent  of  its  length,  and  for 
the  remainder  a  depth  of  from  3  to  6  feet.  The  only  work  here  re- 
quired is  that  of  widening  and  deepening. 

(c)  Lake  Worth — Hawk  Channel. — Leaving  the  south  end  of  Lake 
Worth  the  alignment  follows  that  of  the  Florida  East  Coast  Canal 
for  a  distance  of  15.1  miles  to  the  Hillsboro  River. 

The  work  required  will  consist  of  widening  and  deepening  this 
canal,  the  water-surface  width  of  which  is  but  60  feet  and  the  mid- 
channel  depth  5  feet  to  standard  section,  which  will  necessitate  the 
rehandling  of  at  least  one-half  of  the  material  excavated  by  the  canai 
company.    Except  for  a  total  distance  of  about  3  miles,  where  rock 


36      IXTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  X.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 


will  be  met  with  at  depths  ranging  from  —7  to  —8.  the  material  to  be 
excavated  will  be  mud  and  sand. 

The  Hillsboro  River,  a  small  but  navigable  tidal  stream,  discharg- 
ing at  Hillsboro  Inlet,  about  3.2  miles  south  of  its  source,  has  been 
improved  by  the  Florida  East  Coast  Canal  Co.  by  widening  and 
deepening,  and  the  line  follows  generally  the  alignment  of  that  com- 
pany's work,  departing  from  it  where  necessary  to  avoid  sharp  bends. 
The  material  to  be  encountered  is  sand  and  mud.  except  for  a  distance 
of  something  less  than  1  mile,  through  which  rock  excavation  is 
required  below  —8  feet. 

Avoiding  the  shifting  sands  at  the  mouth  of  Hillsboro  Inlet  by 
2.500  feet  of  cut  across  the  marsh,  the  line  again  enters  the  Florida 
East  Coast  Canal  and  follows  it  to  Xew  River  Inlet,  departing  from 
it  to  avoid  that  inlet  by  a  cut  across  the  marshes  into  and  through 
Lake  Mable  and  into  Xew  River. 

Xew  River  is  followed  for  a  distance  of  about  1  mile,  when  the 
Florida  East  Coast  Canal  is  again  entered,  and  advantage  is  taken 
of  the  excavation  of  its  prism  thence  to  Biscayne  Bay,  except  for  a 
distance  of  1  mile  through  Dumfounding  Bay. 

Entering  Biscayne  Bay  at  its  northern  extremity,  the  canal  is 
located  to  take  advantage  of  the  deepest  water,  which  varies  from  ± 
to  6  feet  to  Miami,  where  an  artificial  channel  excavated  by  the 
Florida  East  Coast  Railroad  for  their  Xassau-Miami  boats  is  entered 
and  followed  to  Hawk  Channel.  Little  work  will  be  required  in 
this  latter  section,  as  the  depth  is  already  in  excess  of  10  feet  for 
most  of  the  distance.  Widening  at  bends  and  in  constricted  portions 
will  be  necessary,  but  will  all  be  in  sand,  easily  removable. 

(d)  Haick  Channel — Key  West.  Fla. — Xo  work  is  required  in  this 
section,  as  the  existing  channel  offers  an  available  depth  of  10  feet 
or  over  with  an  ample  width  for  the  entire  distance. 

10.  The  results  of  the  detailed  surveys  covered  by  the  foregoing 
description  of  the  final  location  are  shown  on  the  maps  1  submitted 
with  this  report,  as  follows: 

Beaufort  to  Little  River  Inlet :  1  index  sheet.  23  local  map  sheets. 

Little  River  Inlet  to  vVinyah  Bay:  1  index  sheet. 7  local  map  sheets. 

TTinyah  Bay  to  Charleston  Harbor:  1  index  sheet,  14  local  map 
sheets. 

Charleston  Harbor  to  Savannah  River :  1  index  sheet,  12  local  map 
sheets. 

Savannah  River  to  Fernandina :  1  index  sheet,  9  local  map  sheets. 
Fernandina  to  Key  West :  8  index  sheets.  89  local  map  sheets. 

Section  V. — Engineering  Considerations. 

1.  DEPTH. 

As  the  language  of  the  act  distinctly  contemplates  the  construc- 
tion of  a  through  waterway,  the  board  holds  that  the  canal  should 
be  of  uniform  depth  throughout.  To  introduce  any  link  of  depth 
less  than  the  remainder  would  be  to  defeat  the  primary  purpose: 
similarly  to  reduce  the  depth  at  either  end  section  would  only  in  less 
degree  hamper  through  traffic. 


1  Not  printed. 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  IT.  Cv  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  37 

To  fix  upon  the  uniform  depth  for  adoption  the  board  has  taken 
into  consideration,  first,  the  language  of  the  act,  which  mentions  a 
maximum  depth  of  12  feet,  and,  second,  the  probable  cost  and  form 
of  utilization.  As  to  the  12-foot  depth,  it  may  be  said  that  this 
appears  to  be  neither  here  nor  there;  it  is  not  great  enough  to  carry 
vessels  of  large  size;  it  is  greater  than  need  be  for  carrying  light- 
draft  or  barge  traffic.  It  appears  at  once  that  some  lesser  depth  will 
accomplish  all  the  purposes  to  be  accomplished  by  a  12-foot  depth, 
and  naturally  at  much  less  cost. 

Viewing  this  as  a  strictly  inland  waterway,  the  board  has  endeav- 
ored to  ascertain  what  will  be  the  most  economical  type  of  craft  for 
handling  the  traffic.  A  conclusion  should  not  be  based  solely  upon 
existing  economical  types  of  boats.  It  is  necessary  to  bear  in  mind 
that  this  is  a  work  of  magnitude,  and  it  is  quite  certain  that  if  the 
demands  of  commerce  are  so  pressing  as  to  justify  the  work  these 
demands  will  also  justify  the  adoption  of  an  economical  and  advan- 
tageous form  of  transportation  regardless  of  forms  now  in  use.  The 
board  finds  that  barges  carrying  1,000  tons  on  an  8-foot  draft,  han- 
dled by  towboats  of  no  greater  draft,  provided  probably  the  best  and 
least  costly  means  of  moving  freight  on  sheltered  waterways,  and 
experience  on  this  coast  indicates  that  such  will  be  provided  in  place 
of  the  types  now  engaged  in  the  inland  navigation. 

This  gives  a  good  criterion  for  determining  the  proper  depth  for 
the  intracoastal  canal;  it  is  largely  to  meet  the  requirements  of  such 
traffic  that  the  board  has  fixed  upon  10  feet  for  its  present  design. 
This  depth  will  well  accommodate  the  barge  traffic  anticipated,  even 
permitting  slight  deterioration  without  interrupting  commerce.  It 
will  also  accommodate  all  types  of  craft  now  used  in  the  local  zone 
traffic  on  these  coasts  or  any  others  likely  to  be  used. 

But  any  depth  less  than  10  feet  will  probably  be  insufficient  for 
through  traffic,  while  a  depth  greater  than  10  feet  within  the  limits 
specified  by  the  act  will  accommodate  no  additional  traffic. 

Passing  for  the  time  being  the  usability  of  the  10-foot  as  against  a 
12-foot  canal,  the  question  of  relative  costs  is  determinative.  Through 
ordinary  country,  where  the  work  will  be  simple,  a  12-foot  canal 
will  cost  approximately  30  per  cent  more  than  a  10- foot  canal. 
Through  difficult  sections,  where  cutting  is  heavy,  the  increase  of  cost 
will  be  much  greater,  and  there  are  many  miles  of  this  latter.  More- 
over, the  10-foot  canal  as  designed  passes  through  many  sections 
where  10  feet  can  be  excavated  in  favorable  material  at  reasonable 
cost,  but  where  12-foot  excavation  would  encounter  rock.  A  similar 
consideration  is  found  in  sections  such  as  Indian  River,  where  10  feet 
of  cutting  already  reaches  rock  at  many  points  and  where  the  addi- 
tional 2  feet  will  be  simply  so  much  more  rock  cutting.  More  im- 
portant yet,  an  unavoidable  feature  of  this  waterway  will  be  the 
inclusion  of  the  Hawk  Channel  from  Biscayne  Bay  to  Key  West. 
This  has  a  controlling  depth  of  10  feet,  and  if  for  any  minor  pur- 
poses 12  feet  should  be  selected  as  against  10  it  would  involve  the 
large  additional  work  of  improving  the  Hawk  Channel. 

The  foregoing  discusses  depths  mainly  from  the  commercial  and 
financial  points  of  view.  So  far  as  naval  uses  are  concerned  the  12- 
foot  depth  mentioned  in  the  act  would  accommodate  few  naval  ves- 
sels which  could  not  with  equal  facility  navigate  a  10-foot  canal ;  and 
on  the  other  hand,  10  feet  is  about  the  least  that  can  be  used  by 


38      INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

vessels  of  the  Navy.  For  military  purposes  there  is  no  particular 
significance  either  way;  a  10-foot  depth  is  sufficiently  well  adapted. 

In  view  of  all  considerations  the  board  has  selected  10  feet  as  the 
correct  depth  for  this  canal,  from  end  to  end. 

2.  WIDTH  AND  SIDE  SLOPES. 

Experience  on  the  South  Atlantic  coast  indicates  that  a  minimum 
width  of  100  feet  will  be  required.  This  should  obtain  upon  long 
tangents  where  the  canal  passes  through  marsh  or  solid  land  in 
such  way  that  the  banks  furnish  visual  guides.  At  bends  the  width 
should  be  increased  to  a  degree,  such  that  as  between  adjacent  tan- 
gents a  curve  of  1,000  feet  radius  will  lie  within  the  channel.  Also, 
where  the  canal  passes  through  broad,  open  waters,  there  being  no 
visual  guides,  the  width  should  be  increased  to  150  or  200  feet.  In 
brief,  the  board  has  selected  the  following  bottom  widths : 

Through  marsh  or  solid  cut,  100  feet. 

Through  open  waters  showing  a  lateral  expanse  of  1,000  feet,  the  bottom 
width  shall  be  150  feet. 

Through  open  waters  showing  a  lateral  expanse  of  1  mile  or  more,  the  bottom 
width  shall  be  200  feet. 

For  the  complete  prism,  basing  its  action  upon  experience  on  this 
coast,  the  board  has  determined  that  through  the  soft  material  of 
the  sea-level  sections  side  slopes  shall  be  one-fourth  where  the 
bottom  width  is  100  feet,  and  one-third  where  the  bottom  width  is 
greater  than  100  feet.  In  the  sections  of  solid  excavation  across 
country  the  prism  is  to  have  side  slopes  of  one-half  to  an  elevation 
of  2  feet  above  the  water  surface  where  a  10-foot  berm  is  to  be  pro- 
vided on  each  side,  and  above  the  berm  side  slopes  are  to  continue 
one-half. 

In  addition  to  these  requirements  as  to  bottom  width  and  side 
slopes,  the  board  inserts  a  recommendation  that  turning  and  passing 
basins,  where  they  do  not  already  exist,  shall  be  provided  at  least 
once  in  each  3  miles  of  length,  but  leaves  the  actual  location  of  these 
basins  to  the  constructing  officer.  Amounts  sufficient  to  cover  the 
additional  excavation  have  been  included  in  the  estiniates. 

3.  STRUCTURES. 

(a)  Locks. — Based  largely  upon  the  type  of  barge  probably  to  be 
used  on  this  canal,  the  board  has  determined  that  locks  shall  have 
usable  length  of  400  feet,  with  width  of  45  feet.  Locks  are  to  be  of 
concrete,  of  simple  design,  on  piles  and  surrounded  by  sheet  piles 
where  necessary ;  are  to  be  provided  with  steel  gates,  hand  operated, 
and  with  filling  and  emptying  culverts  in  the  walls;  miter  sills  and 
quoins  to  be  oi  granite. 

At  certain  of  the  locks  the  water  supply  will  at  times  be  limited. 
In  these  cases  locks  should  be  provided  with  intermediate  gates  at 
half  length,  and  in  extreme  cases  with  an  additional  set  of  interme- 
diate gates  at  one-fourth  length,  these  being  intended  to  reduce  the 
loss  of  water  involved  in  the  lockage  of  small  craft. 

(b)  Dams. — Where  dams  are  placed  across  flowing  rivers,  as.  in 
the  Waccamaw,  the  portions  which  cross  the  river  proper  are  de- 
signed to  be  of  concrete,  gravity  section,  with  heavy  back  fill  of 
earth,  and  the  portions  which  cross  the  swamps  are  to  consist  of 
suitable  forms  of  concrete  spillway  with  sheet-pile  water  seal,  and 


IN TK AC 0 AST AL  WATEBWAY  BEAUFOBT,  N.  Cv  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  39 

concrete  or  stone  pavings  to  prevent  undercutting  at  the  toe.  Where 
dams  are  placed  as  spillways  across  quiet  rivers,  such  as  Shallotte 
and  Lockwoods  Folly,  they  should  be  of  concrete  with  gravity  sec- 
tion, founded  upon  piles  and  provided  with  sheet-pile  water  seals 
upstream.  Where  dams  are  used  on  the  coast  sections  for  closing 
tidal  streams,  they  are  to  be  of  earth  with  flat  slopes,  to  include  a 
concrete  core  wall  founded  upon  piles  and  provided  with  sheet-pile 
water  seals  under  and  built  up  into  the  core  wall,  and  riprap  or 
concrete  protection  against  wave  wash. 

(c)  Bridges. — As  the  proposed  waterway  must  cross  railroads  and 
highways,  it  is  necessary  to  include  in  the  estimate  provision  for 
construction  of  highway  and  railroad  bridges.  There  appears  to  be 
no  occasion  for  determining  at  this  time  precisely  what  types  shall  be 
used.  It  is  sufficient  to  say  that  these  bridges  should  be  designed 
each  to  fit  its  particular  locality;  that  ixi  general  they  should  be  of 
steel,  of  simple  design,  and  permanent  in  character,  founded  upon 
masonry  piers.  At  each  bridge  it  will  be  necessary  to  provide  a 
bridge  keeper's  dwelling,  which  also  should  be  of  simple  character. 

(d)  Training  walls  and  breakwaters. — Few  of  these  will  be  re- 
quired, but  at  those  points  where  such  constructions  must  be  had, 
they  should  be  of  stone,  in  large  fragments. 

(e)  Beacons. — As  indicated  later  in  the  estimates,  it  has  been 
necessary  to  include  provision  for  marking  the  channels.  These 
marks  will,  in  general,  be  of  the  reenforced-concrete  pile  type,  sur- 
mounted where  necessary  by  light  steel  towers. 

Section  VI.  Estimate  of  Cost. 

1.  EXCAVATION. 

From  the  description  of  the  route  as  adopted  it  will  have  been 
gathered  that  the  undertaking  will  involve  but  few  classes  of  work. 
By  far  the  largest  items  are  those  of  excavation,  and  conditions  in 
the  different  sections  are  sufficiently  similar  to  permit  the  reduction 
of  excavation  for  purposes  of  estimate  to  three  classes,  namely: 

That  which  can  be  accomplished  by  hydraulic  dredging. 

That  which  lies  well  above  sea  level  through  solid  earth  and  is  to  be  accom- 
plished by  steam  shovels. 

That  which  must  be  accomplished  by  special  means,  where  rock  is  found 
lying  above  the  bottom  level  of  the  canal. 

The  general  conditions  under  which  these  classes  will  in  the  vari- 
ous localities  be  undertaken  are  so  similar  that  the  board  has  felt 
justified  in  adopting  for  each  class  a  single  unit  price. 

In  case  of  hydraulic  dredging  the  board  acts  in  the  light  of  long- 
experience  in  methods  and  costs  on  this  coast.  It  is  found  that  where 
work  of  this  character  can  be  let  in  large  quantities,  or  where  it  is 
undertaken  by  day  labor  with  first-class  plant,  the  cost  reaches  ap- 
proximately 15  cents  per  cubic  yard.  This  figure  is  taken  as  the 
unit  price  for  this  class  of  work. 

In  the  case  of  ordinary  earth  excavation  above  sea  level  and  where 
the  excavation  is  accomplished  by  the  usual  steam-shovel  methods 
the  board  finds  that  on  well-managed  railway  and  similar  work  in 
these  sections  the  work  has  generally  cost  25  cents  per  cubic  yard. 
This  is  taken  as  the  unit  price  for  upland-earth  excavation. 


40      INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C.,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 


Rock  removal  is  found  principally  upon  the  Florida  coast.  This 
rock  is  in  general  coral  or  coquina  of  no  great  hardness  or  compact- 
ness, but  nevertheless  not  easily  removed.  Experience  with  previous 
work  of  this  character  indicates  the  advisability  of  placing  the  unit 
cost  at  75  cents  per  cubic  yard,  which  is  used  in  these  estimates. 

2.  STRUCTURES. 

(a)  Locks. — It  is  found  that  all  of  the  locks  to  be  provided  in  the 
course  of  this  construction  are  to  be  built  at  locations  where  approxi- 
mately the  same  conditions  prevail.  Costs  should  be  very  nearly 
the  same  in  all  cases.  The  board  has  therefore  estimated  the  cost  oi 
a  typical  lock,  arriving  at  the  figure  of  $450,000,  which  is  used  for 
each  case  and  which  includes  cost  of  lock  keeper's  dwellings  and  all 
accessories. 

(h)  Dams. — Unlike  the  locks,  the  dams  will  vary  greatly  in  char- 
acter. Each  one  is  figured  according  to  conditions  obtaining  at  the 
particular  locality  and  according  to  the  type  to  be  built. 

(c)  Training  walls. — Here  again  each  is  figured  according  to  the 
conditions  obtaining  at  the  particular  locality. 

(d)  Bridges. — Highway  bridges  will  be  of  approximately  the  same 
design  throughout.  These  are  figured  at  $20,000  each,  with  bridge 
keeper's  dwelling  at  $5,000.  For  railway  bridges  $75,000  each  is 
allowed. 

(e)  Beacons. — The  board  has  included  in  the  estimates  amounts 
to  cover  the  cost  of  marking  the  channels.  This  is  believed  to  be 
advisable  in  this  case,  as  during  the  progress  of  dredging  and  excava- 
tion it  will  be  necessary  to  erect  a  great  many  marks,  and  as  operations 
will  be  continued  over  a  period  of  years  it  will  be  found  economical 
to  make  these  marks  of  a  more  or  less  permanent  character.  This 
suggests  that  the  marks  may  with  propriety  be  made  actually  perma- 
nent and  similar  to  those  ordinarily  used  in  lighting  navigable  water- 
wa37s.  The  board  proposes  therefore  to  provide  in  this  way  for  the 
expense  of  erecting  suitable  permanent  day  marks,  and  proposes 
that  these  marks  shall  later  be  turned  over  to  proper  authority  for 
lighting.   The  cost  has  been  placed  at  $200  each. 

(/)  Rights  of  way. — TYliere  the  canal  location  line  passes  through 
navigable  water  ways,  open  sounds,  or  marine  marshes,  no  estimate 
for  acquisition  of  right  of  way  has  been  included.  > 

Where  the  line  passes  through  habitable,  privately  owned,  or 
cultivated  lands,  amounts  have  been  included  in  the  estimate  suffi- 
ciently large  to  cover  the  cost  of  acquisition  of  right  of  way  1,000  feet 
wide,  based  upon  unit  costs  ascertained  by  inquiry  in  the  particu- 
lar locality  affected. 

( g)  Finally. — To  cover  all  additional  surveys  which  must  pre- 
cede construction,  to  meet  changes  in  conditions  likely  to  arise  before 
work  is  actually  began,  and  to  provide  for  all  accidental  costs  and 
charges  which  can  not  well  be  foreseen,  the  customary  10  per  cent  for 
contingencies  is  added  to  the  amount  of  all  the  foregoing  estimates. 

The  general  estimates  follow : 

1.  Beaufort,  N.  C,  to  Cape  Fear  River,  N.  C. 


21,116.000  cubic  yards  hydraulic  dredging   $3, 167,  400 

1  bridge  at  Wrtghtsrdle.  Tidewater  Power  Co   25,  000 

1  bridge  at  New  Ha.,  over  Transit  Co.'s  Railroad   25,  000 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  41 


1  bridge,  Wilmington  to  Federal  Point  Highway   $20,  000 

Right  of  way,  10,217  acres   171,000 

1  guard  lock   450,  000 

Stone  jetties,  Cape  Fear  River   80,000 

Beacons    3,  500 

Contingencies   394, 100 


Total   4,  336,  000 

2.  Cape  Fear  River  to  Little  River,  N.  C. 

Excavation  of  3,542,000  cubic  yards  by  steam  shovel   $885,  500 

Excavation  of  10,626,000  cubic  yards  hydraulic  dredging   1,593,900 

2,750  acres  of  right  of  way   82,500 

940  acres  of  clearing   47,000 

Damages  to  property   63,  000 

400  acres  of  land  submerged   12,000 

1  lock  near  the  head  of  Elizabeth  River   450,000 

Davis  Creek   dam   11,  750 

Lockwoods  Folly  River  dam   100,  000 

Little  Saucepan  Creek  dam   4, 170 

Big  Saucepan  Creek  dam   6,  400 

Shallotte  River  dam   100,000 

Calabash   Creek  dam   21,000 

Mulletts  Creek  dam  1  6,  000 

4  highway  bridges,  at  $20,000  each   80,  000 

Beacons   1,  500 

Contingencies   346,  280 


Total   3,  811,  000 

S.  Little  River  to  Winyah  Bay. 

(a)  Main  canal,  Mulletts  Creek-Bear  Bluff: 

Right  of  way,  1,000  feet  wide,  2,326  acres.       $69,  780.  00 
Clearing  and  grubbing  one-half  right  of 

way,  1,163  acres   58, 150.  00 

Excavation,  6,840,972  cubic  yards   1,  710,  243.  00 

4  locks   1,800,000.00 

2  bridges   40,000.00 

2  dwellings   10,  000.  00 

  $3,  688, 173.  00 

(&)  Feeder  canal: 

Right  of  way,  500  feet  wide,  356  acres___        10,  680.  00 

Clearing  and  grubbing,  356  acres   17,  800.  00 

Excavation,  760,583  cubic  yards   190, 145.  75 

2  control  works,  at  $20,000   40,  000.  00 

  258,  625.  75 

(c)  Pireway  reservoir: 

Land  flooded  to  elevation  35,  25,477  acres 

at  $1   25,477.00 

Pireway  Dam   700,000.00 

  725,  477.  00 

{d)  Bear  Bluff  to  Conway: 

Right  of  way,  392  acres   11,  760.  00 

Clearing  and  grubbing  one-half  right  of 

way,  196  acres   9,  800.  00 

Excavation,  843,000  cubic  yards   210,  750.  00 

  232,  310.  00 

(e)  Lock  and  dam  at  Conway  : 

Lock   450,  000.  00 

Dam   250,  000.  00 

  700,  000.  00 

(/)  Conway  to  Bull  Creek,  open-river  work   150,000.00 

(g)  Engineering  and  contingencies   575,  414.  25 


Total.. 


6,  330,  000.  00 


42      INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N".  Cv  TO  KEY  WEST.  FLA. 

4.  Winyah  Bay  to  Charleston  Harbor. 


Excava- 
tion. 


Cost. 


Estherville-Mmiin  Creek  Canal  and  North  Santee  River. 

San  tee  Delta  Crossing  and  South  Santee  River  

Training  walls,  South  Santee  River  

South  Santee  to  Mud  Bay  

Through  Oyster  Bay  to  Bull  River  

Bull  River  to  Harbor  River  

Harbor  River  to  Van  Ross  Creek  and  Bull  Bay  Marsh. . 

Sewee  Bay  

Bull  Narrows  

Santee  Pass  and  Dewees  Inlet  to  Bullyard  Sound  

Seven  Reaches  through  Long  Island  Creek  

Sullivans  Island  Narrows  and  The  Cove  


Aggregate  

Beacons  

Engineering  and  contingencies. 


Total. 


Cubic  yards, 
2, 420, 892 
629, 480 


2, 375, 834 
836, 302 
365, 528 

2, 124, 116 
667,037 
524, 706 

1, 353,  273 

1,519,618 
767, 723 


S363, 133.  80 
94, 422. 00 
364, 000. 00 
356, 375. 10 
125,445.30 
54, 829. 20 
318, 617. 40 
100,055.55 
78, 705. 90 
202,  990. 95 
227, 942.  70 
115,158.45 


2, 401, 676. 35 
3, 000. 00 
240,323.65 


2,645,000.00 


5.  Charleston  Harbor  to  Savannah  River. 


Excava- 
tion. 


Cost. 


Wappo  Creek  

Stono  Rivei  

Church  Flats  

New  Cut  

Wadmelaw  River  

Dawho  River  

From  Dawho  through  Nerth  Creek. 

From  Edisto  to  Coosaw  Rirer  

Coosaw  River  and  Brickyard  Creek 

Archers  Creek  

Rose  Islands  Passage  

Ramshorn  Creek  

Mud  River  


Aggregate  

Beacons  

Engineering  and  contingencies. 


Total. 


Cubic  yards. 
367, 295 
474,416 
156, 919 
279, 376 

44, 100 
579, 349 
650, 220 
1,  282, 168 
323, 672 
525,  681 

41,572 
331, 891 
290, 606 


$55,094.25 
71,162.40 
23,537.85 
41, 906. 40 
6, 615.00 
86,902.35 
97,533.00 

192,325.20 
48, 550. 80 
78, 852. 15 
6, 235.80 
49,  783. 65 
43, 590. 90 


802,089.75 
4, 800. 00 
90, 110.  25 


897,000.00 


6.  Savannah  River  to  Femandina. 


Excava- 
tion. 


Cost. 


Mouth  of  St.  Augustine  Creek  

Skidaway  Narrows  

Burnside  River  

Florida  Passage  

Waldburg  Creek  

Johnsons  Creek  

Front  River:  Creighton  Narrows  

South  Sapelo  River  dividings  

Old  Teakettle  Creek  

Old  South  River:  Little  Mud  River. 

Altamana  Sound  

Buttermilk  Sound  

Frederica  River  

Jekyl  Creek  

Cumberland  dividings  


Aggregate.. 
Regulating  works. 

Beacons  

Contingencies .... 


Cubic  yards. 
25,000 

650,000 

107,000 
83,000 
13,000 
20.000 

575.000 
33,000 
34,000 

251,600 
18,000 
65,000 
15,000 

268,000 
20,000 


$3,750.00 
97,500.00 
16,050.00 
12, 450.00 
1,950.00 
3,000.00 
86,250.00 
4,950.00 
5,100.00 
37, 740.00 
2,700.00 
9,750.00 
2,250.00 
40,200.00 
3,000.00 


Total. 


326, 640. 00 
50,000.00 
3,000.00 
57,360.00 

437,000.00 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  43 


7.  Fernandina  to  St.  Johns  River. 


Hydraulic  dredging,  3,970,941  cubic  yards   $595,  041. 15 

Rock,  565  cubic  yards   423.  75 

Contingencies  .   60,  935. 10 

Total   657,  000.  00 

8.  St.  Johns  River  to  Indian  River, 

(a)  St.  Johns  River  section: 

Hydraulic  dredging,  9  517,105  cubic  yards   $1,  427,  565.  75 

Right  of  way,  411  acres   4, 110.  00 

Beacons  .   15,  000.  00 

Contingencies   145,  324.  25 


Total   1,  592,  000.  00 


(&)  Lakes  Ruth,  Shad,  and  Salt  Lake  sections: 

Hydraulic  dredging,  2,901,590  cubic  yards   435,  23S.  50 

Right  of  way — 

182  acres   1,  820.  00 

345  acres   5, 175.  00 

Contingencies   44,  766.  50 


Total   487,  000.  00 


(c)  Salt  Lake,  Indian  River  section  : 

Steam-shovel  excavation,  2,759,296  cubic  yards   689,  824.  00 

Lock   450,  000.  00 

Right  of  way,  381  acres   27,  065.  00 


1, 166,  889.  00 

2  bridges   150,  000.  00 

Contingencies   132,  111.  00 


Total   1,  449,  000.  00 

9.  Indian  River. 

(a)  Indian  River — Jupiter  Inlet: 

Hydraulic  dredging,  17,640,952  cubic  yards   $2,  646,  142.  80 

Rock,  697,992  cubic  yards   523,  494.  00 

Right  of  way — 

15  acres   750.  00 

282  acres   2,820.00 

Beacons   20,  000.  00 

Contingencies   321,  793.  20 


Total   3,  515,  000.  00 


(6)  Jupiter  Inlet — Lake  Worth  section  : 

Hydraulic  dredging,  5,202,280  cubic  yards   780,  342.  00 

Right  of  way — 

417  acres   4, 170.  00 

10  acres   10,000.00 


794,  512.  00 

Value  Florida  East  Coast  Canal  excavation,  389,825  cubic 

yards   58,  473.  75 

Beacons   5,000.00 

Contingencies   86,  014.  25 


Total  ,   944,  000.  00 


44      INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 


(c)  Lake  Worth — Biscayne  Bay  section: 

Hydraulic  dredging,  12,717,799  cubic  yards  1   $1,  907,  669.  85 

Rock,  1,380,800  cubic  yards   1,  035,  600.  00 

Right  of  way,  5,030  acres   150,  900.  00 

Beacons   5,  000.  00 

Value  Florida  East  Coast  Canal  excavation,  1,018,897 

cubic  yards   152,  834.  55 

Contingencies   327,  995.  60 


Total   3,  580.  000.  00 


(d)  Biscayne  Bay — Hawk  Channel : 

Hydraulic  dredging,  1,395,S44  cubic  yards  ..   209,  376.  60 

l    Rock,  161,300  cubic  yards   120,975.00 

Beacons   10,  000.  00 

Contingencies   33,  648.  40 


Total   374,  000.  00 

10.  Hawk  Channel — Key  West. 

No  work  required. 

SUMMARY  OF  THE  ESTIMATES. 

1.  Beaufort— Cape  Fear  River   $4,336,000.00 

2.  Cape  Fear  River— Little  River   3,  811,  000.  00 

3.  Little  River— Winyah  Bay   6,330,000.00 

4.  Winyah  Bay — Charleston  Harbor   2,  645,  000.  00 

5.  Charleston  Harbor— Savannah  River   897,  000.  00 

6.  Savannah  River— Fernandina   437.  000.  00 

7.  Fernandina — St.  Johns  River   657,  000.  00 

8.  St.  Johns  River— Indian  River   3,  528,  000.  00 

9.  Indian  River— Hawk  Channel   8,413,000.00 

10.  Hawk  Channel— Key  West   .  00 


Grand  total   31,  054,  000.  00 


Maintenance. — To  undertake  at  this  stage  a  precise  estimate  of 
cost  of  maintenance  is  to  enter  upon  a  problem  in  which  there  are 
many  unknown  quantities.  However,  the  board  has  examined  this 
question  in  the  light  of  all  experience  had  on  the  South  Atlantic 
coast,  computing  maintenance  in  several  ways,  as  by  estimating  the 
items  of  plant  required,  and  the  cost  of  operating  them;  by  esti- 
mating the  probable  deterioration  of  channels  and  the  usual  cost  of 
restoration,  and  in  other  similar  ways,  comparing  ultimately  the 
maintenance  costs  so  deduced.  Taking  each  geographical  section 
by  itself,  it  is  found  that  these  independently  computed  costs  are 
reasonably  consistent;  that  in  each  section  the  annual  cost  of  main- 
tenance works  out  at  approximately  2  per  cent  of  the  first  cost 
of  construction,  and  in  this  are  included  all  ordinary  charges  for 
operation  and  care. 

On  these  grounds,  believing  that  maintenance  charges  should  not 
accrue  during  the  period  of  actual  construction,  the  board  estimates 
that  the  annual  cost  of  maintenance  and  operation  can  reasonably 
be  placed  at  2  per  cent  of  the  initial  cost  of  the  work,  i.  e.,  $620,000 
per  annum,  and  it  is  expected  that  as  time  goes  on  this  figure  will 
be  underrun  rather  than  exceeded. 


INTEACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  45 

Section  VII.  Commercial.  Naval,  and  Military  Utilization. 

i.  commercial. 

The  history  of  commercial  development  on  this  coast  demonstrates 
that  utilization  of  an  inland  waterway  will  be  of  two  distinct  kinds, 
the  first  being  that  which  will  develop  within  local  zones  and  the 
second  being  that  which  will  pass  from  zone  to  zone ;  in  other  words, 
"  local  "  and  "  through  "  traffic. 

(a)  Local  zone  traffic. — The  board  believes  that  development  will 
take  place  first  within  the  local  zones.  There  are  now  many  us- 
able harbors  on  the  South  Atlantic  coast.  The  productions  of  the 
country  adjacent  to  these  harbors  seek  the  ports  as  outlets,  and  where 
inland  waterways  now  exist  it  is  found  that  much  commerce  passes 
from  the  interior  down  the  river  systems  to  points  of  intersection 
with  the  inland  ways,  and  so  to  the  nearest  commercial  ports.  Simi- 
larly, the  harbor  cities  are  centers  of  distribution  for  materials  and 
supplies  required  in  the  interior.  Commodities  come  to  the  ports 
by  ocean-going  ships  and  are  distributed  to  the  interior  via  the  inland 
waterways  and  river  systems.  A  considerable  development  of  this 
traffic  of  concentration  and  distribution  within  zones  tributary  to  the 
seaports  has  already  taken  place  on  the  coast  of  Georgia,  and  less  on 
the  coasts  of  South  Carolina,  North  Carolina,  and  Florida. 

A  few  figures  and  detailed  statements  are  given  to  illustrate  the 
present,  and  to  furnish  some  basis  of  estimate  of  prospective  condi- 
tions. 

The  North  Carolina  coast. — A  regular  commerce  is  carried  on 
between  Swansboro  and  Newbern,  a  line  of  small  steamers  running 
continuously  between  these  points.  During  the  fiscal  year  1910 
there  were  reported  26  steamers  and  75  sailing  vessels  as  having  used 
this  route.  The  freight  consisted  principally  of  timber,  general 
merchandise,  fertilizer,  and  marine  products,  amounting  to  25,347 
tons,  valued  at  $522,655. 

Between  Swansboro  and  New  Eiver  there  is  a  limited  traffic  carried 
on  by  gasoline  boats  and  sailing  vessels  handling  fertilizer,  general 
merchandise,  timber,  naval  stores,  and  marine  products.  This 
amounted  during  1910  to  4,590  tons,  valued  at  $151,520. 

At  Swansboro  the  canal  line  crosses  the  White  Oak  Eiver,  which 
may  be  expected  to  act  as  a  tributary  feeder,  and  although  the  ton- 
nage carried  on  that  river  is  not  compiled  annually  the  report  of  the 
last  preliminary  examination  estimated  its  commerce  at  21,532  tons, 
valued  at  $413,625,  consisting  of  lumber,  timber,  and  general  mer- 
chandise. 

Similarly  New  Eiver,  which  connects  with  the  canal  and  leads  up 
to  Jacksonville,  N.  C,  may  be  considered  as  a  commercial  feeder. 
The  records  show  New  Eiver  navigated  during  1910  by  10  steamers 
and  10  sailing  vessels,  which  carried  in  that  year  44,320  tons,  valued 
at  $379,667,  of  lumber,  timber,  naval  stores,  general  merchandise,  and 
marine  products.  While  the  Jacksonville,  N.  C,  freight  is  now  car- 
ried largely  by  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  Eailroad,  it  is  believed  that 
with  communication  from  that  point  to  Wilmington  via  the  proposed 
canal  a  large  part  of  the  incident  traffic  will  be  diverted  to  water 
transportation,  reaching  possibly  ^  value  of  $500,000  annually. 


46      INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N".  Cv  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 


Between  New  River  and  Cape  Fear  River  there  is  a  section  of  coast 
which  at  present  supports  no  water-borne  traffic,  but  which  should 
contribute  to  the  commerce  of  the  intracoastal  canal  to  an  amount, 
judging  by  conditions  existing  in  the  adjacent  territory,  of  about 
$500,000  per  annum. 

South  of  Cape  Fear  entrance  the  proposed  canal  line  will  pass 
through  a  section  of  country  now  without  any  means  of  inland  com- 
munication with  any  seaport.  .  A  line  of  sharpies  and  small  steamers 
run  outside  between  TTilmington  and  Little  River,  carrying  supplies 
for  a  large  section  of  country  tributary  to  the  latter.  Sharpies  also 
ply  between  Wilmington  and  Lockwoods  Folly  and  Shallotte  Rivers. 
The  commerce  of  Lockwoods  Folly  River  in  1905.  when  last  tabu- 
lated, amounted  to  2,005  tons,  valued  at  $47,568:  it  is  believed  to  be 
larger  at  the  present  time.  Commodities  are  cotton,  corn,  hay,  naval 
stores,  lumber,  and  general  merchandise.  The  trade  of  the  Shallotte 
in  1909  amounted  to  5,000  tons,  valued  at  8200.000,  consisting  princi- 
pally of  naval  stores,  lumber,  cotton,  fertilizer,  and  general  merchan- 
dise. There  is  also  a  small  commerce  upon  the  Elizabeth  River,  esti- 
mated in  1910  to  be  about  2.000  tons,  valued  at  $23,690. 

The  foregoing  traffic  of  the  Xorth  Carolina  coast  is  tabulated 
below : 


Tons. 

Year. 

Value. 

25,347 
4.590 

44.320 

12.000 
5.000 
5.000 

10.4S8 
2,000 

1910 
1910 
1910 

0) 

C1) 
1910 
1907 
1910 

$522,655 
151.520 
379. 667 
500.000 
200.000 
211.368 
497. 56S 
23,690 

Wilmington  to  Lockwoods  Folly  

Wilmington  to  Shallotte  

Wilmington  to  Little  River  

Total  

108, 745 

2, 4S6, 468 

1  Estimated. 


It  is  expected  that  the  Xorth  Carolina  tonnage  will  be  more  than 
doubled  as  soon  as  facilities  are  provided  by  the  proposed  waterway  : 
in  addition  there  should  work  up  a  large  new  traffic  in  coal,  lumber, 
fertilizer,  cotton,  and  other  products  as  between  Wilmington  and 
regions  now  inaccessible. 

The  South  Carolina  coast. — Local  zone  traffic  here  shows  two 
phases  and  its  possibilities  are  promising. 

In  the  first  place,  there  is  the  ordinary  coastal  trade  picked  up  in 
localities  adjacent  to  the  coast  and  carried  to  the  nearest  port  and 
the  return  distribution  from  ports  to  strictly  coastal  regions.  This 
is  exemplified  upon  the  Charleston-McClellanville  waterway,  which, 
while  now  only  4  feet  deep,  nevertheless  carries  approximately  40.000 
tons  per  annum,  valued  at  slightly  over  $1,000,000.  A  similar  small- 
boat  traffic  is  carried  by  the  waterways  to  the  south  of  Charleston, 
concentrating  country  products  at  Charleston  and  Savannah  and  dis- 
tributing supplies  as  return  cargoes.  Xo  figures  are  now  available, 
though  this  traffic  is  understood  to  be  somewhat  larger  than  that  to 
the  north  of  Charleston. 

In  the  second  place,  there  is  traffic  upon  the  interior  rivers,  notably 
the  TVaccamaw,  Great  Peedee.  Santee,  and  Congaree  systems,  all  of 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  47 


which  is  of  the  concentration  and  distribution  order,  reaching  con- 
siderable volume.    Thus,  in  1910  the  figures  were  as  follows: 


Tons. 

Value. 

111,097 
66,785 
79, 582 
26,354 

$1,431,121 
1,502,695 
164,360 
331,214 

Total  

283,738 

3,429,390 

All  of  this  is  at  present  necessarily  carried  on  through  the  port  of 
Georgetown.  Imports  reach  Georgetown  by  ocean-going  vessels  and 
are  distributed  by  river  steamers.  Exports  are  shipped  from  the 
interior  to  Georgetown  for  delivery  to  deep-sea  carriers.  It  is  a 
question  of  reaching  the  coast  at  the  only  accessible  port,  and  the 
commerce  does  as  well  as  it  can  under  the  limitations  of  Georgetown's 
15-foot  harbor.  A  study  of  the  situation  shows  that  were  these  river 
systems  connected  with  Charleston,  Savannah,  or  Wilmington  the 
increased  convenience  and  economy  should  lead  to  rapid  multiplica- 
tion of  business.  Such  connections  would  be  effected  by  the  mtra- 
coastal  canal. 

The  coast  of  Georgia. — Over  this  section  of  the  route,  which  is  in 
much  better  condition  than  that  to  the  north,  the  commerce  is  large 
and  varied.  Eight  combined  freight  and  passenger  steamers  make 
regular  runs.  Barges  carry  naval  stores,  crossties,  lumber,  and  mis- 
cellaneous freights  to  and  from  the  ports  of  Savannah,  Brunswick, 
and  Fernandina,  the  volume  being  about  55,000  tons  per  annum, 
valued  at  approximately  $2,500,000.  In  addition,  the  inside  route 
is  extensively  used  for  rafting  timber  from  the  interior  down  the 
rivers  to  the  coast  and  thence  to  the  ports;  this  amounts  annually 
to  about  60,000,000  feet  b.  m.,  valued  at  $800,000.  Also  many  small 
craft  and  yachts  utilize  this  route  for  business  and  pleasure. 

As  in  South  Carolina,  a  canal  line  on  the  Georgia  coast  will  tie 
together  the  river  systems  and  should,  by  giving  ready  access  to  the 
ports,  largely  increase  the  river  commerce. 

The  Florida  coast. — Here  a  usable  coastal  route  will  be  of  especial 
value  in  the  development  of  local  traffic,  as  transportation  facilities 
of  other  kinds  are  unable  to  meet  the  pressing  demands.  Until  the 
last  few  years  the  growth  of  Florida  has  been  very  slow;  but  the 
State  is  now  developing  its  phosphate,  lumber,  fruit,  and  vegetable 
industries  at  a  rapidly  increasing  rate,  and  it  has  been  found  in  the 
past  two  years  that  the  rail  and  other  means  of  transportation  have 
been  unable  to  cope  with  the  volume  of  business  offered.  Valuable 
products  have  gone  to  waste  because  of  the  impossibility  of  shipping 
them. 

While  the  railroad  facilities  can  and  will  be  increased,  it  is  doubt- 
ful whether  they  will  be  enlarged  with  rapidity  sufficient  to  aid  de- 
velopment. On  the  other  hand,  Florida  is  peculiarly  well  provided 
with  rivers,  lakes,  and  sounds,  and  since  the  advent  of  motor  boats, 
furnishing  economical  transportation,  the  proper  development  of  the 
waterways  of  the  State  will  be  of  unusual  value. 


48      INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C.,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

No  precise  estimate  can  be  given  of  the  prospective  business  for  the 
intracoastal  canal,  but  the  following  tables  are  significant : 


Water-borne  commerce  at  different  points  adjacent  to  the  Florida  section  of  the 

intracoastal  waterway. 


Locality. 

Tonnage, 
1909. 

Value. 

Increase 
over 

previous 
year. 

Fernandina  short  tons.. 

Jacksonville  do  

582,000 
2,015.820 
379, 864 
85.670 
109,000 
54, 000 
297, 001 
218, 692 

$11,065,000 

77,323,286 

Per  cent. 

5.9 
26.8 

9.2 
28.4 
35.7 

St.  Johns  River  at  Orange  Mills  Flats  do  

St.  Lucie  Inlet  do  

36.8 
15.5 

Key  West  do  

Traffic  statement  of  Florida  East  Coast  Railroad  for  1909. 

Commodity. 

Freight 
originating 
on  this 
road. 

Freight 
received 
from 
connecting 
roads  and 

other 
carriers. 

Total 
freight 
tonnage. 

Tons. 
152, 406 
8,224 
49,  752 

92, 365 
130, 043 
8,672 
38,  741 

Tons. 
13,557 
3,897 
13, 628 
18, 549 
36, 247 
5,316 
8, 464 

Tons. 
165,963 
12,119 
63,380 
110,914 
166, 290 
13,988 
47, 205 

Products  of  animals  

Products  of  mines  

Products  of  forests  

Manufactures  

Merchandise  

Miscellaneous:  Other  commodities  not  mentioned  above  

Total  tonnage  

480, 203 

99, 656 

579,859 

The  latter  table  shows  existing  commerce  now  largely  carried  by 
rail,  and  transportation  conditions  in  Florida  appear  to  be  such 
that  a  large  fraction  of  the  above,  together  with  considerable  newly 
developed  business,  should  seek  the  water  route  to  the  ports. 

All  of  the  foregoing  shows  the  existence  of  considerable  local-zone 
commerce  on  these  coasts,  though  but  few  sections  have  inland  ways 
in  any  sense  adequate,  and  long  stretches  are  wholly  without  inland 
communication.  A  fair  criterion  of  what  may  be  expected  when  the 
whole  coast  shall  have  been  developed  may  be  found  in  the  commerce 
of  the  coast  of  Georgia,  where  reasonably  good  communication  can 
now  be  had. 

The  Georgia  coast  and  back  country  are  not  materially  different 
from  the  remaining  South  Atlantic  region,  but  with  inland  water- 
ways of  7-foot  depth  the  local  communities  have  built  up  a  com- 
merce valued  at  about  $3,500,000  per  year.  Now,  the  Georgia  coast 
occupies  only  100  statute  miles  of  ocean  front  out  of  a  total  of 
925  statute  miles  herein  under  consideration.  If  we  can  assume 
that  the  intracoastal  canal  will  develop  in  other  sections  a  local 
commerce  at  all  comparable  with  that  in  existence  on  the  Georgia 
coast,  we  may  fairly  say  that  the  local  traffic  induced  should  ap- 
proximate $30,000,000  per  annum,  a  value  equaling  in  a  single  year 
the  whole  cost  of  canal  construction.   This  view  is  believed  to  be  rea- 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C.,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  49 

sonable  and  to  fairly  discount  the  future ;  in  fact,  it  is  conservative,  as 
it  omits  consideration  of  the  increased  development  to  be  anticipated 
in  response  to  provision  not  merely  for  7-foot  local  channels,  but  for 
10-foot  channels  extending  lateral  zones  to  the  utmost. 

(b)  Through  traffic. — The  prospect  of  development  of  through 
traffic  is  less  certain,  though  some  considerations  point  to  favorable 
expectation.  The  advocates  of  this  work  are  able  to  show  that  barge 
traffic  is  inexpensive.  Such  has  certainly  the  advantage  of  being  car- 
ried on  in  small  rather  than  large  containers,  and  in  this  way  can 
reach  points  not  otherwise  accessible.  Similarly,  the  small  container 
lends  itself  to  use  by  small  companies  and  by  individuals  of  limited 
means,  who,  while  able  to  receive  or  send  barge  loads,  may  be  quite 
unable  to  charter  ships  or,  indeed,  engage  transportation  on  ships. 

Advocates  of  this  improvement  also  state  that  the  number  of  sea- 
going carriers  now  operating  on  the  South  Atlantic  coast  is  too 
small.  Many  instances  are  brought  forward  in  which  freight  has 
been  offered  for  shipment  only  to  be  refused. 

The  advocates  also  point  to  the  fact  that  a  through  route  will  have 
an  uncommonly  large  number  of  feeders  in  the  numerous  river  sys- 
tems of  the  South  Atlantic  States,  which,  in  general,  flow  normal  to 
the  coast,  intersecting  the  canal  at  their  seaward  ends,  and  thus  are 
able  to  contribute  a  considerable  water-borne  commerce. 

Examining  the  prospect  of  through  traffic  from  another  point  of 
view,  there  is  now  in  evidence  a  large  commerce  in  commodities  such 
as  coal,  lumber,  building  materials,  sugar,  hardware,  supplies,  and 
truck  which  passes  up  and  down  the  coast  by  either  coastwise 
steamers,  schooners,  or  rail.  While  it  can  not  be  expected  that  for 
strictly  through  traffic  a  barge  canal  can  ultimately  deflect  shipments 
from  seagoing  steamships,  it  can  be  expected  that  freight  now  re- 
fused by  steamships  and  shipped  at  high  expense  by  rail  will  seek  the 
barge  canal  as  an  economical  outlet.  And  in  view  of  the  small-cargo 
feature,  freight  now  originating  in  large  ports,  destined  for  commu- 
nities not  reached  by  ocean-going  steamers,  should  be  more  econom- 
ically distributed  from  a  large  port  than  under  the  present  system 
from  large  port  to  small  port  and  thence  to  community. 

A  definite  conception  of  the  through  traffic  to  be  anticipated  can  be 
gained  only  by  an  examination  of  the  commerce  of  the  south  Atlantic 
seaports. 

Wilmington,  N.  G. — Cotton  to  the  value  of  about  $25,000,000  per 
annum  is  shipped  from  this  port,  principally  in  foreign  steamers 
chartered  direct.  Owing  to  the  difficulty  at  times  experienced  in 
chartering  steamers  it  may  be  that  a  certain  amount  of  this  cotton 
will  be  barged  to  the  larger  northern  ports,  where  ships  are  always 
to  be  had.  It  is  certain  that  cotton  will  seek  the  inland  route  for 
export  when  handled  in  less  than  cargo  lots.  Lumber  and  naval 
stores  to  the  value  of  $1,000,000  per  annum  are  shipped  coastwise  to 
northern  ports.  A  large  part  of  this  might  seek  the  inland  water- 
way owing  to  the  lack  of  freight  facilities  on  ocean  routes.  Fer- 
tilizers, fertilizer  materials,  oils,  and  gasoline  to  the  value  of  about 
$3,000,000  are  imported  each  year.  A  part  of  this  may  come  in  over 
the  inland  way  on  account  of  increased  facility  of  distribution. 

Charleston,  S.  C. — Much  coal  arrives  at  Charleston  Harbor  by 
coastwise  vessels,  varying  from  60,000  tc  over  100^000  tons  per  an- 
il. Doc.  229,  63-1  4 


50      INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 

num.  A  great  part  of  this  comes  from  Norfolk  in  schooners,  en- 
countering the  hazards  of  Cape  Hatteras  en  route.  It  would  seem 
that  this  might  well  be  transported  over  the  inland  waterway  in 
barges.  Similarly  from  25,000  to  50,000  tons  of  cement,  lime,  and 
similar  building  materials  come  southward  to  Charleston  by  coast- 
wise steamers ;  oils,  16,000  tons  in  amount,  come  by  coastwise  barges. 
Any  part  of  either  of  these  items  might  be  carried  on  the  inland' 
way.  As  for  export,  Charleston  ships  at  an  average  150,000  tons 
of  lumber  each  year,  sending  it  almost  exclusively  to  northern  coast- 
wise ports  by  schooner.  Here  again  the  inland  route  would  enable 
these  shipments  to  pass  Hatteras  in  safety.  Charleston  also  exports 
about  50,000  tons  of  cotton  per  annum,  which,  as  at  Wilmington, 
might  seek  the  ships  of  northern  ports  passing  through  the  inland 
way.  All  other  coastwise  traffic  of  Charleston  Harbor  aggregates 
about  200,000  tons  per  annum,  but  it  is  hardly  likely  that  any  part 
of  this,  unless  influenced  by  the  small-package  distribution  idea, 
would  seek  the  inland  way,  as  it  is  now  carried  very  economically  by 
regular  lines  of  ocean-going  steamers. 

Savannah  and  the  smaller  Georgia  ports. — Here  the  most  prom- 
ising items  are  450,000,000  feet  of  lumber  shipped  out  and  about 
140,000  tons  of  coal  brought  in  by  coastwise  vessels.  This  may 
fairly  be  regarded  as  possible  through  traffic  for  the  intracoastal 
canal.  There  is  in  addition  a  southward  movement  of  65,000  tons  of 
fertilizer  material,  56,000  tons  of  grain,  7,000  tons  of  salt,  and  48,000 
tons  of  cement,  of  which  the  canal  might  get  part  or  all. 

The  total  ocean-going  coastwise  trade  of  the  Georgia  coast  is  esti- 
mated at  2,500,000  tons,  valued  at  $150,000,000;  it  is,  however,  un- 
likely, except  for  the  items  enumerated  above,  that  any  very  large 
portion  of  this  would  be  diverted  to  a  barge  canal. 

Jacksonville,  Fla. — For  through  traffic,  the  importation  of  coal 
amounting  to  186,000  tons  and  the  exportation  of  lumber  and  cross- 
ties  amounting  to  nearly  800,000  tons  offer  the  greatest  possibilities. 
The  coal  must  reach  Jacksonville  coastwise  from  Norfolk,  Wilming- 
ton, or  Charleston,  and  seems  a  likely  commodity  for  barge  trans- 
portation. Lumber  is  even  now  shipped  north  in  barges.  The 
Florida  lumber  companies  have  found  it  economical  to  construct 
special  ocean-going  barges  for  this  purpose,  and  handle  them  in 
fleets  by  means  of  powerful  towboats,  which  might  with  equal  econ- 
omy and  greater  safety  operate  upon  an  inland  way.  Other  com- 
modities aggregating  somewhat  over  1,000,000  tons  per  annum  may 
or  may  not  contribute  to  the  inland  traffic. 

On  the  whole,  the  board  is  inclined  to  believe  that  there  is  a'fair 
prospect  for  the  growth  of  through  traffic.  Such  may  not  take 
exactly  the  form  of  shipment  from  port  to  port.  It  is  more  likely 
to  take  the  form  of  distant  distribution.  Thus,  whereas  merchan- 
dise originating  in  New  York  and  destined  for  distribution  on  the 
North  Carolina  coast  is  now  carried  to  Wilmington  in  ocean-going 
ships  and  then  distributed  by  rail  or  small  craft,  the  existence  of  the 
canal  may  give  rise  to  distribution  directly  from  New  York  by 
barges  to  points  of  consumption.  Similarly,  while  commodities  des- 
tined for  South  Carolina  are  now  carried  from  New  York  to  three 
separate  ports — Georgetown,  Charleston,  and  Savannah — by  three 
separate  services,  an  almost  certain  result  of  construction  of  a  barge 
canal  would  be  inception  of  distribution  from  New  York  through 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  51 

Charleston  or  Savannah  alone,  or,  indeed,  distribution  direct  from 
New  York.  The  economy  of  such  concentration  of  effort  in  the 
greater  ports,  even  to  the  detriment  of  smaller  ports,  is  obvious. 

It  is  in  this  possibility  of  distant  distribution  that  the  board  finds 
one  of  the  most  valid  reasons  for  undertaking  a  "  through  "  route. 
The  very  magnitude  of  the  completed  work  will  be  its  best  guaranty 
Were  it  to  be  merely  a  series  of  local  sections,  commerce  of  any  one 
section  might  be  throttled  by  any  of  a  number  of,  hostile  agencies ; 
but  as  a  "  through  "  route  continuity  makes  impossible  the  oppres- 
sive tactics  often  resorted  to  in  overcoming  water  competition. 
A  "  through  "  canal  should  be  able  to  compete  upon  favorable  terms. 

2.  NAVAL  AND  MILITARY. 

Whether  or  not  this  canal  will  be  of  great  value  to  the  Navy 
seems  to  be  an  open  question. 

The  canal  will  be  of  depth  and  width  insufficient  to  pass  any  of 
the  larger  type  of  fighting  craft  or  even  the  usual  type  of  gunboat. 
On  the  other  hand,  it  can  be  used  by  all  of  the  torpedo  boats  and 
by  many  of  the  destroyers. 

Naval  officers  are  understood  to  have  expressed  themselves  as  being 
strongly  in  favor  of  the  construction  of  such  an  inland  route,  stat- 
ing that  it  will  be  invaluable  in  affording  an  interior  line  by  which 
small  craft  can  be  moved  from  any  harbor  to  any  other  without  ex- 
posure either  to  the  dangers  of  ocean  navigation  or  to  hostile  attack. 
This  view  has  some  weight,  for  while  construction  of  torpedo  boats 
has  largely  been  abandoned  in  favor  of  construction  of  destroyers, 
there  are  still  many  torpedo  boats  on  hand  and  serviceable,  and  if, 
as  has  at  times  been  contemplated,  torpedo  boats  are  to  play  a  useful 
part  in  the  defense  of  harbors  and  in  opposing  raids  or  blockades  it 
may  be  that  the  possibility  of  rapidly  and  safely  concentrating  a 
flotilla  of  such  craft  will,  in  emergency,  make  available  a  powerful 
weapon.  On  the  other  hand,  the  value  of  the  canal  for  naval  pur- 
poses is  one  which  seems  to  have  been  largely  overestimated  in  the 
lay  mind.  A  certain  value,  as  above,  can  be  foreseen ;  but  as  to  its 
ultimate  function  in  naval  strategy  the  opinion  of  the  naval  au- 
thorities might  well  be  invited. 

It  has  similarly  been  urged  that  this  waterway  would  in  war  be 
of  great  value  to  the  Nation  for  military  purposes. 

The  board  is  disinclined  to  lay  too  much  stress  upon  this  point. 
The  canal  is  not  likely  to  be  used  for  any  extensive  mo-oement  of 
troops  on  account  of  the  direction  in  which  it  lies ;  large  movements 
are  likely  to  be  radial  from  centers  of  population  rather  than  lateral 
along  the  coast,  The  board,  however,  can  conceive  of  circumstances 
in  which  the  canal  would  be  of  value  in  the  movement  of  troops 
or  munitions  of  war  coastwise  in  concentrating  forces  against  threat- 
ened points  of  attack  and  especially  so  when  the  use  of  the  open 
sea  was  forbidden  by  the  fleet  of  the  enemy  and  the  railroads  paral- 
leling the  coast  were  taxed  to  their  utmost  capacity. 

Section  VIII.  Recommendation  of  Board. 

Comparing  the  prospective  cost  with  the  prospective  utilization, 
the  board  has  no  hesitation  in  expressing  the  opinion  that  this 
project  is  worthy  of  execution  by  the  United  States.    It  is  believed 


52      IXTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  X.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 


in  the  first  place  to  be  worthy  on  the  basis  of  development  of  local 
zone  business  alone,  and  might  properly  be  undertaken  were  it  to  be 
expected  that  no  other  remunerative  form  of  business  could  be 
developed.  When  to  the  increase  in  concentration  and  distribution 
is  added  the  prospect  of  economical  through  traffic,  and  when  it  is 
recalled  that  the  cost  of  carrying  the  work  forward  from  "  zone  " 
to  "  through  n  development  will  be  but  a  small  part  of  the  total,  it 
is  clear  that  the  "through"  canal  should  be  undertaken  as  a  whole. 

Section  IX.  Order  and  Rate  of  Prosecution  of  the  Work. 

In  submitting  an  estimate  of  cost,  the  board  deems  it  advisable  to 
present  a  program  under  which  the  work  can  be  logically  and  eco- 
nomically prosecuted.  The  board  bears  in  mind  that  the  probable 
first  development  will  be  that  of  local-zone  traffic,  and  that  this  Trill 
be  immediately  remunerative,  while  the  development  of  through 
traffic  will  be  more  gradual  and  more  remotely  remunerative,  and 
the  board  believes  that  in  actual  construction  the  first  efforts  should 
be  directed  toward  zone  extension  from  the  great  ports  outward. 
Work  on  the  links  between  the  zones  should,  of  course,  not  be  de- 
ferred until  the  local  extension  is  completed;  it  should  be  carried 
on  simultaneously,  but  the  program  should  nevertheless  contemplate 
securing  the  maximum  development  of  the  local  zones  at  the  earliest 
practicable  date,  supplemented  by  completion  of  the  connecting  links 
at  about  the  time  when  zone  communication  shall  have  reached  a 
state  of  high  efficiency. 

The  board  also  believes  that  it  will  be  unwise  to  undertake  this 
work  in  any  intermittent  way,  or  under  any  program  which  con- 
templates extending  it  over  a  long  period  of  years.  The  board's 
estimates  of  cost  are  based  upon  the  presumption  that  work  will  be 
authorized  in  large  blocks;  that  large  contracts  can  be  let  at  ad- 
vantageous prices  with  resulting  economy;  and  that  construction 
can  be  carried  on  under  a  definite  program  such  as  will  reduce  fixed 
and  contingent  expense  and  permit  continuous  utilization  of  plant 
and  force. 

With  all  this  in  view  the  board  asserts  the  practicability  of  eco- 
nomically completing  the  canal  in  six  years,  and  submits  the  follow- 
ing program  of  appropriations  arranged  to  accomplish  that  end  in 
the  most  advantageous  manner. 


Section. 

First 
year. 

Second 
year. 

Third 
year. 

Fourth 
year. 

Fifth 
year. 

Sixth 
year. 

Total. 

Beaufort-Cape  Fear  River. . . 
Cape    Fear    River -Little 

Little  River-Winyah  Bay... 
Win  yah     Bay  -  Charleston 
Harbor  

$500. 000 

500.000 
500.000 

645,000 

397.000 

200,000 
300,000 

100,  900 

§1,300,000 

900,000 
1,000,000 

1,000,000 

500.000 

237,000 
357,000 

900,000 

$1,300,000 

800.000 
1,000,000 

1,000,000 

11, 236, 000 

700,000 
1,000,000 

$4, 336, 000 

$700. 000 
1,000,000 

$211,000 
1,830,000 

3.811.000 
6,330,000 

2, 645, 000 

897,000 

437,000 
657,000 

3,528,000 
8,413,000 

Charleston  Harbor  -  Savan- 

Savannah    River  -  Feraan- 
dina  

Fernandina-St.  Johns  River 
St.    Johns    River -Indian 
River  

900,000 
2,000,000 

828,000 
2,200,000 

Indian  River-Biscayne  Bay 

2,200,000 

2,013,000 

Total  for  each  year  

4.  <:■■:  j 

7,000,000 

5,964,000 

3, 900, 000 

4,054,000 

31,054,000 

) 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  1ST.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  53 

Section  X.  Private  Canals. 

As  explicitly  directed  in  the  act,  the  board  has  considered  the 
desirability  of  utilizing  as  a  part  of  this  waterway  any  existing 
public  or  private  canals  or  any  part  thereof,  and  the  probable  cost 
of  acquiring  the  same. 

While  there  are  several  private  canals  on  the  South  Atlantic  coast, 
there  is  only  one  which  follows  the  line  herein  described  and  which 
can  so  receive  the  consideration  called  for  by  the  act.  This  is  the 
canal  owned  by  the  Florida  Coast  Line  Canal  &  Transportation  Co. 
connecting  navigable  waterways  between  Jupiter  Inlet  and  Biscayne 
Bay.  This  canal  has  a  very  small  cross  section,  and,  while  its  prism 
can  be  made  use  of  in  the  construction  of  the  intracoastal  canal,  with 
some  saving  in  excavation,  the  value  of  that  saving  will  be  but  a 
small  percentage  of  the  total  cost  of  the  excavation  required  for  the 
proposed  canal. 

The  board,  through  one  of  its  members,  has  communicated  with  the 
owners  of  this  canal  with  a  view  to  ascertaining  the  "  probable  cost " 
of  acquiring  it,  but  as  yet  has  received  no  response.  It  is,  therefore, 
impossible  for  the  board  to  state  what  the  "  probable  cost "  will  be. 
It  has  been  possible  for  the  board,  however,  to  arrive  at  the  saving 
in  excavation,  which  can  be  made  by  acquiring  the  canal  and  utilizing 
it  as  part  of  the  prism  of  the  larger  waterway,  and  this  amounts  to 
1,408,722  cubic  yards.  The  value  of  this  excavation  to  the  United 
States,  based  upon  the  unit  prices  herein  adopted,  would  be 
$211,308.30. 

It  is  not  understood  that  the  Florida  Coast  Line  Canal  &  Trans- 
portation Co.  owns  or  controls  a  right  of  way  of  a  width  adequate 
for  the  intracoastal  canal.  It  is  understood,  however,  that  for  a 
considerable  portion  of  the  length  of  the  canal  a  right  of  way  200 
feet  wide  is  owned;  at  some  points  the  width  owned  is  in  excess  of 
200  feet,  while  at  others,  due  to  difficulties  in  securing  title,  no  right 
of  way,  other  than  an  easement  for  the  canal  itself,  is  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  company.  It  is  quite  impossible  for  the  board  to  deter- 
mine accurately  just  what  amount  of  right  of  way  could  at  a  future 
date  be  delivered  by  the  canal  company.  It  would  probably  exceed 
1,000  acres,  having  a  value  of  about  $35,000. 

A  location  of  the  intracoastal  canal  parallel  to  the  private  canal 
can  be  made,  which  will  not  be  more  expensive  than  that  along  the 
existing  canal  if  payment  for  acquirement  in  accordance  with  the 
above  estimate  of  its  value  is  to  be  included ;  and  the  board  is,  there- 
fore, of  the  opinion  that  should  the  demand  of  the  canal  company 
exceed  $211,308.30,  plus  a  fair  value  for  the  right  of  way  which  can 
be  delivered,  the  canal  should  not  be  acquired  and  a  location  parallel 
to  it  should  be  adopted. 

Section  XI.    General  Recommendations. 

In  recommending  the  construction  of  this  waterway  the  board 
also  deems  it  advisable  to  state  that  many  considerations  other  than 
those  of  cost  and  utility  have  arisen.  Certain  of  these  are  deemed 
to  be  of  primary  importance  and  to  be  worthy  of  discussion,  with 
a  view  to  indicating  their  bearing  upon  incident  legislation. 


54      INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 


1.  RIGHT  OF  WAY. 

While  the  estimates  are  drawn  to  include  cost  of  acquisition  of 
certain  rights  of  way  the  board  is  nevertheless  of  the  opinion  that 
this  charge  against  the  United  States  may  well  be  saved.  It  should 
be  borne  in  mind  that  a  waterway  of  this  character  confers  upon 
local  communities  great  commercial  advantages,  and  that  new 
developments  and  increments  in  land  values  will  provide  new  objects 
of  taxation,  upon  which  it  may  reasonably  be  expected  that  the 
States  will  not  be  slow  to  levy.  But  these  objects  of  taxation  will 
not  be  accessible  to  the  United  States.  It  is  clear  that  increments 
of  value  will  be  of  local  rather  than  national  concern ;  and,  in  view  of 
this,  it  is  deemed  proper  that  the  States  should,  having  their  own 
material  advantage  in  mind,  make  a  certain  contribution  toward  the 
execution  of  the  project.  This  may  properly  take  the  form  of 
cession,  free  of  charge,  of  the  required  rights  of  way:  And  to  the 
same  end  it  is  believed  that  the  States  should  be  called  upon  to 
protect  the  United  States  from  all  claims  for  land  damages  of  all 
kinds  whatsoever.  These  conditions  should  be  acceptable  to  State 
and  local  governments,  and  provisos  such  as  will  insure  the  indicated 
cooperation  should  be  drafted  into  the  law. 

2.  TERMINAL  FACILITIES. 

Were  this  a  canal  designed  to  pass  through  or  by  large  commercial 
communities  a  discussion  of  terminal  facilities  and  requirements 
might  be  pertinent,  but  as  it  is  to  be  a  through  waterway  to  which 
commercial  communities  are  to  have  access  by  the  river  systems  it  is 
believed  that  questions  of  terminal  facilities  are  essentially  questions 
to  be  considered  in  connection  with  the  river  systems — the  feeders — 
and  that  these  matters  need  be  the  subject  of  no  action  in  connection 
with  the  legislation  for  the  intracoastal  waterway. 

3.  WATER  POWER. 

No  appreciable  water  powers  can  be  developed  by  this  canal.  The 
reservoirs  created  can  not  be  made  to  serve  this  purpose,  and  dams, 
where  used,  are  of  small  lift,  with  small  possibility  of  continuous 
or  usable  overflow. 

4.  FLOOD  CONTROL. 

The  structures  herein  proposed  can  not  be  made  to  serve  in  con- 
trol of  freshets.  Generally  speaking,  the  rivers  utilized  as  sections 
of  the  waterway  are  little  subject  to  disastrous  floods,  and  the  inter- 
secting rivers,  on  which  flood  conditions  are  detrimental,  are  in- 
variably crossed  at  points  well  down  toward  their  seaward  ends, 
so  that  the  canal  structures  can  exert  no  influence  upon  freshets. 

5.  DRAINAGE. 

In  the  nature  of  things  this  canal  work  can  not  be  coordinated  with 
any  scheme  for  drainage.  In  the  one  case  a  sea-level  canal,  as  herein 
proposed  throughout  the  greater  part  of  the  distance,  can  have  no 


rNTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  1ST.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  55 


great  effect  upon  drainage.  In  the  other  case,  where  the  canal 
is  designed  to  cross  high  levels,  success  will  depend  upon  conserva- 
tion rather  than  withdrawal  of  water.  While  in  many  of  the  South 
Atlantic  States  the  idea  persists  that  a  canal  of  this  type  will  be  of 
use  in  draining  the  country,  it  will  readily  be  seen  that  the  two  pur- 
poses— navigation  and  drainage— are  incompatible.  This  waterway 
can  not  be  combined  with  any  drainage  scheme — general  or  local. 

6.  In  closing  its  report  the  board  desires  especially  to  make  clear 
that  its  efforts  have  been  directed  toward  securing  a  thorough  survey 
and  reliable  estimate  of  cost  for  a  waterway  following  the  most  prac- 
ticable and  economical  route.  At  the  same  time  the  project  as  herein 
presented  should  be  regarded  as  being  of  a  general  character;  it  can 
be  accepted  as  a  basis  for  future  work;  but  it  should  nevertheless  be 
recognized  that  when  work  is  actually  undertaken,  changed  condi- 
tions will  doubtless  indicate  advisability  of  minor  variations  in  loca- 
tion or  in  types  of  structures;  and  the  board  deems  it  important  to 
recommend  that  legislation  be  drafted  in  such  way  that,  while  adopt- 
ing the  project,  it  shall  still  not  bind  the  department  or  the  construct- 
ing officers  to  rigid  adherence  to  details  of  plans  herein  presented. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

Dan  C.  Kingman, 
Colonel,  Corps  of  Engineers. 

Earl  I.  Brown, 
Captain,  Corps  of  Engineers. 

E.  M.  Adams, 
Captain,  Corps  of  Engineers. 

Geo.  K.  Spalding, 
Captain,  Corps  of  Engineers, 
The  Chief  of  Engineees,  United  States  Army. 


For  report  of  the  Board  of  Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors  on 
10- foot  depth  see  pp.  11-17. 


ESTIMATE  OF  THE  SPECLAL  BOARD  FOR  A  CANAL  OF  7-FOOT  DEPTH. 

[Second  indorsement.] 

United  States  Engineer  Office, 

Savannah,  Ga.,  'April  12,  1912. 

1.  Respectfully  returned  to  the  Chief  of  Engineers,  United  States 
Army,  with  an  estimate  of  the  cost  of  constructing  this  inside  water 
route  with  an  actual  depth  of  7  feet,  affording  a  navigable  depth  of 
6  feet — this  with  a  view  to  its  subsequent  enlargement  to  10  feet 
when  occasion  requires.  All  locks,  dams,  and  permanent  structures 
are  provided  for  in  the  estimate  as  for  a  10-foot  canal. 

2.  The  location  of  the  6-foot  canal  is  identical  with  that  proposed 
for  the  10-foot  canal.  The  cost  of  the  canal,  with  reduced  depth,  in 
round  numbers,  is  $19,000,000,  or  $12,000,000  less  than  for  the  canal 
with  a  10-foot  depth. 

3.  There  is  inclosed  a  sheet  giving  a  summary  of  the  estimates  for 
the  7-foot  canal,  arranged  exactly  as  in  the  case  of  the  10- foot  canal 
shown  on  page  44  of  the  report. 

Dan  C.  Kingman, 
Colonel,  Corps  of  Engineers. 


56      IN TRAC 0 ASTAL  WATEKWAY  BEAUFORT,  23".  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  "FT, A, 


United  States  Engineer  Office, 

Savannah  Ga.,  April  12,  1912. 

Estimate  for  6-foot  draft  navigation  (7-foot  depth  of  channel)  following  the 
same  route  as  that  adopted  for  10-foot  depth  bp  the  Board  of  Engineer 
officers. 


1.  Beaufort  to  Cape  Fear  River   $2.  872.  111.  00 

2.  Cape  Fear  River  to  Little  River   3,724,219.00 

3.  Little  River  to  Winyah  Bay   5,  677,  800.  00 

4.  Winyah  Bay  to  Charleston   1,  227,  800.  00 

5.  Charleston  to  Savannah   427,  400.  00 

6.  Savannah  to  Fernandina   195.000.00 

7.  Fernandina  to  St.  Johns  River   251,  726.  75 

8.  St.  Johns  River  to  Indian  River   2,  491,  056.  03 

9.  Indian  River  to  Key  West   2, 127,  950.  68 


Total   18,995.063.46 

Or  in  round  numbers   19,000.000.00 


Estimate  for  6-foot  draft  navigation  (7-foot  depth  of  channel)  for  continuous 
waterway,  inland  where  practicable,  from  Fernandina,  Fla.,  to  Key  West, 
Fla. 


1.  Fernandina-St.  Johns  River : 

Hydraulic  dredging,  2,288,425  cubic  yards   $228,  842.  50 

Contingencies   22,  884.  25 


Total   251,  726.  75 

2.  St.  Johns  River-Indian  River: 
(a)  St.  Johns  River  section — 

Hydraulic  dredging,  3.213,506  cubic  yards   551,  269.  40 

Right  of  way,  411  acres   4, 110.  00 

Beacons   15,  000.  00 

Contingencies   57,  037.  94 


Total   627,  417.  34 

(b)  Lakes  Ruth,  Shad,  and  Salt  Lake  sections — 

Hydraulic  dredging,  864,689  cubic  yards   86,468.90 

Right  of  way,  182  acres   1,  820.  00 

Right  of  way,  345  acres   5, 175.  00 

Contingencies   9,  346.  39 


Total   102,  810.  29 

(c)  Salt  Lake-Indian  River  section — 

Steam-shovel  excavation,  3,275,930  cubic  yards   982,  779.  00 

Lock   450,  000.  00 

Right  of  way,  381  acres   27,  065.  00 

2  bridges   150,000.00 

Contingencies   150,  984.  40 


Total   1,  760,  828.  40 

8.  Indian  River : 

(a)  Indian  River-Jupiter  Inlet — 

Hydraulic  dredging,  2,762,466  cubic  yards   399,383.45 

Rock,  12,540  cubic  yards   9,405.00 

Right  of  way,  15  acres   750.  00 

Right  of  way,  282  acres   _2,  820.  00 

Beacons   20,  000.  00 

Contingencies   43.  238.  85 


Total   475,  597.  30 


INTKACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFOET,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  57 


Indian  River — Continued. 

(&)  Jupiter  Inlet-Lake  Worth  section — 

Hydraulic  dredging,  1,903,475  cubic  yards   $203,  839.  75 

Right  of  way,  417  acres   4, 170.  00 

Right  of  way,  10  acres   10,  000.  00 

Value  Florida  East  Coast  Canal  excavation,  389,825  cubic 

yards   58,  473.  75 

Beacons   5,  000.  00 

Contingencies   28, 148.  35 


Total   309,  G31.S5 

(c)  Lake  Worth-Biscayne  Bay  section — 

Hydraulic  dredging,  8,079,108  cubic  yards   846,  284.  80 

Rock,  32,970  cubic  yards   24,  727.  50 

Right  of  way,  5,030  acres   150,  900.  00 

Contingencies   117,  974.  68 

Value  Florida  East  Coast  Canal  excavation,  1,018,897 

cubic  yards   152,834.55 

Contingencies   117,974.  68 


Total   1,297,721.53 

(d)  Approximate  estimate  of  value  of  right  of  way  owned  by 

Florida  East  Coast  Canal  Co   35,000,00 

(c)  Biscayne  Bay-Hawk  Channel  section,  beacons   10,000.00 

4.  Hawk  Channel-Key  West. — No  work  required. 

Summary  of  the  estimates. 

1.  Fernandina-St.  Johns  River   $251,  726.  75 

2.  St.  Johns  River-Indian  River  .   2,491,056.03 

3.  Indian  River-Hawk  Channel   2, 127,  950.  68 


Grand  total   4,  870,  733.  46 


Order  and  rate  of  prosecution  of  the  work. 


Section. 

First 
year. 

Second 
year. 

Third 
year. 

Fourth 
year. 

Fifth 
year. 

Sixth 
year. 

Total. 

Fernandina-St.  Johns 
River  

$114, 000.  00 
598, 000. 00 

1137,726.75 
698,000.00 

$251, 726. 75 
2,491,056.03 
2,127,950.68 

St.   Johns  River-In- 
dian River  

$598, 000. 00 
532,000.00 

$597,056.03 
532,000.00 

Indian  River-Bis- 

Hawk  Channel-Key 
West  

$532,000. 00 

$531,950.68 

Total  for  each 
year  

712, 000. 00 

835,726. 25 

1,130,000. 00 

1, 129,056. 03 

532, 000. 00 

531,950.  68 

4,870,733.46 

For  report  of  the  Board  of  Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors,  see 
pp.  17-18. 


LETTEK  OF  MR.  R.  A.  PAESLEY,  SECRETARY  AND  TREASURER  OF  THE  HILTON  LUMBER  CO. 

Wilmington,  N.  C,  December  2,  1912. 
Dear  Sir  :  Referring  to  our  conversation  this  morning  relative  to  the  intra- 
coastal  canal,  the  following  points,  in  brief,  seem  to  me  to  justify  the  reach 
from  Beaufort,  N.  C,  to  Cape  Fear  River : 

safety. 

The  distance  from  Beaufort  Harbor  by  sea  into  Southport  Harbor  is*  120 
miles.  This  necessarily  means  that  slow-moving  craft,  like  barges  or  large 
light-draft  freighters,  run  much  risk  at  sea  between  these  points,  owing  to  the 
fact  that  it  means  from  15  to  24  hours  at  sea  without  reasonable  chance  of 
dodging  in  from  sudden  bad  weather.  There  are  no  harbors  between  these 
points  except  for  very  small  and  very  light-draft  vessels.    There  are  only  such 


58      INTEACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  ELA. 


small  inlets  like  Moo  res  or  Masonboro  and  Topsail,  which  would  afford  little, 
if  any,  aid  to  a  vessel  of  any  size  or  drawing  more  than  5  to  6  feet.  A  vessel 
caught  between  these  points  in  a  sudden  northeaster  or  southeaster  or  even  a 
strong  easterly  wind  is  in  jeopardy  unless  she  is  quite  seaworthy  and  under 
considerable  power. 

The  reaches  to  the  south  of  us  are  probably  in  better  shape  in  this  regard,  for 
we  have  by  sea — 

Miles. 

From  Southport  to  Little  River,  S.  C   40 

From  Little  River  to  Georgetown,  S.  C   65 

From  Georgetown  to  Charleston   45 

This  means  that  craft  taking  the  sea  route  and  moving  only  5  miles  per  hour 
could  make  from  one  safe  point  to  another  during  daylight  for  most  of  the 
year  and  would  not  often  risk  having  to  spend  the  night  at  sea. 

FREIGHT  BATES. 

Unquestionably  the  only  safeguard  from  excessive  transportation  charges 
is  the  barge  and  other  vessels  of  moderate  cost  and  cheap  operation.  As  an 
evidence  of  this,  right  at  hand,  the  rail  freight  rate  from  Newbern,  N.  C,  to  New 
York  is  20  cents  per  100  pounds ;  Wilmington,  N.  C,  to  New  York  is  21  cents  per 
100  pounds. 

This  is  in  carload  lots  and  means  that  Newborn  can  reach  New  York  by  rail 
for  25  cents  per  1,000  feet  b.  m.  less  than  Wilmington,  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  handles  this  business  from  Newbern  through 
Wilmington  and  hauls  it  87  miles  farther  from  Newbern  than  from  Wilmington. 

Miles. 

Distance  (Atlantic  Coast  Line)  Newbern  to  Norfolk  325 

Distance  (Atlantic  Coast  Line)  Wilmington  to  Norfolk  238 

Distance  (Atlantic  Coast  Line)  Wilmington  to  Newbern   87 

It  is  probable  that  most  of  the  lumber  moving  from  Newbern  to  eastern 
cities  goes  via  the  Norfolk  Southern  Railroad,  but  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line 
nevertheless  bids  actively  for  this  business  and  gets  as  much  of  it  as  it  can. 
The  rate  from  Newbern  was  formerly  one-half  cent  only  lower  than  Wilmington, 
but  in  about  1907,  when  the  inland  waterway  seemed  assured,  this  rate  was 
lowered  another  half  cent.  And  it  is  probable  that  it  would  be  even  lower  than 
this  but  for  the  fact  that  the  Norfolk  Southern  Railroad  practically  owns  or 
dominates  the  chief  lumbering  interest  and  timber-holding  company  at  Newbern. 

BAEGE  SERVICE. 

As  you  are  aware,  only  large  seagoing  barges  are  possible  for  the  Wilming- 
ton service  and  the  water  rate  from  Wilmington  to  Baltimore  and  New  York 
via  barges  or  schooners  is  about  $5  to  $5.50  per  1,000  feet  on  lumber.  Newbern 
is  at  present  putting  lumber  on  barges  of  moderate  size  and  cost  for  the  canal 
service  at  about  $2.50  per  1,000  feet  freight  for  Baltimore  and  around  $4.50  to 
New  York. 

EFFECT  OF  BARGE  SERVICE,  OR  THE  POSSIBILITY  THEREOF,  ON  RAILROAD  FREIGHT 

RATES. 

It  is  a  positive  fact,  no  longer  denied  I  believe,  that  railroad  rates  are  in  no 
sense  arrived  at  by  the  cost  of  transportation.  They  are  made  by  traffic  man- 
agers as  high  as  the  traffic  will  bear,  and  are  regulated,  not  by  arbitrary  power 
of  commerce  commissions  or  other  bodies,  but  solely  by  water  competition  in 
most  cases.  Water  competition,  in  its  most  effective  sense,  means  competition 
by  small  individuals  with  small  units  possessing  the  possibility  of  large  compe- 
tition in  the  aggregate.  Steamship  lines  are  no  longer  to  be  considered  as  con- 
stituting "  water  competition,"  for  they  are  owned  body  and  soul  by  the  railroad 
companies. 


LNTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C.,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  59 


IN  GENERAL. 

There  is  no  doubt  in  my  mind  that  the  canal  from  Beaufort  to  Wilmington 
would  immediately  bear  large  quantities  of  lumber,  anthracite  coal,  fertilizer 
materials,  and  general  merchandise,  the  latter  especially,  from  and  to  the  Balti- 
more market.  And  I  believe  also  that  bituminous  coal  and  grain  in  large 
quantities  would  use  the  canal  immediately  and  continue  to  do  so  until  the 
railroads  found  that  this  competition  made  absolutely  necessary  an  actual  as 
well  as  a  physical  connection  with  the  coal  mines  of  southwest  Virginia  and  the 
grain  fields  of  the  Central  West.  Bituminous  coal  and  grain  probably  would 
cease  to  move  via  the  canal  in  a  comparatively  short  time,  but  even  if  this  be  so 
the  canal  is  there  as  a  practical  route  for  this  traffic  whenever  it  is  necessary 
or  convenient  to  use  it. 

I  believe  this  covers  the  views  expressed,  to  you  this  morning,  and  I  trust 
same  may  be  of  service. 
Yours,  truly, 

.  R.  A.  Parsley. 

Mr.  Hugh  MacIIae,  City. 


■    •  LETTER  OF  MR.  J.  A.  TAYLOR. 

Wilmington,  N.  C,  December  8,  1912. 
Dear  Sir  :  In  compliance  with  your  request  to  submit  some  reasons  in  support 
of  the  report  of  the  special  board  of  engineers  favorable  to  the  extension  of  the 
intracoastal  waterway  south  of  Beaufort,  N.  C,  I  give  herewith  what  seems 
to  me  the  controlling  reasons  for  this  waterway.  Necessarily  I  can  but  indi- 
cate without  elaborating  the  argument,  and  for  convenience  will  divide  the 
points  by  numerals. 

ARGUMENT. 

First.  The  intracoastal  waterway  is  essentially  a  commercial  proposition, 
resting  on  the  twofold  ground  of  interchange  of  commodities  between  the  States 
and  encouragement  to  local  production.  The  military  feature  is  necessarily 
subordinate  and  incidental,  made  so  by  the  limitations  of  the  project  itself. 

Waterway  transportation  is  not  only  the  recognized  cheapest  means  of  com- 
munication, but  in  addition  to  the  fact  per  se  has  an  inevitable  effect  on  rail 
transportation,  and  this  is  recognized  by  all  the  commercial  nations  of  the 
world.  One  of  the  most  serious  problems  to-day  confronting  our  Government 
in  the  matter  of  waterway  developments  is  the  ways  and  means  for  making 
most  effective  these  improvements,  and  any  project  which  will  have  this  effect 
would  be  justified  by  results. 

Second.  It  is  true,  as  the  general  board  of  engineers  concede,  that  the  intra- 
coastal waterway  would  operate  favorably  upon  the  south  Atlantic  ports,  but 
the  implication  that  this  result  would  be  of  itself  of  minor  importance  and  that 
the  benefits  would  be  confined  virtually  to  the  ports  themselves  is,  we  submit, 
an  erroneous  view  of  the  matter.  That  the  ports  should  benefit  by  local  pro- 
duction is  only  to  say  that  territories  now  unoccupied  and  undeveloped  would 
come  to  a  market  through  the  medium  of  the  canal,  so  that  the  incidental 
benefits  to  the  ports  would  be  but  a  sequence  to  the  larger  benefits  accruing  to 
local  development;  and  as  respects  the  effect  on  the  ports  through  interchange 
of  commerce  by  the  States,  this  is  the  real  crux  of  the  matter  when  we  consider 
that  the  problem  reaches  beyond  the  Atlantic  seaboard  States,  which  as  a 
matter  of  fact  would  be  a  very  small  portion  of  the  benefits  to  the  country  at 
large. 

Third.  The  value  of  a  means  of  transportation  is  its  ability  to  attract  com- 
merce, hence  the  question  of  rate  is  controlling.  This  brings  us  to  the  question, 
What  would  be  the  effect  on  the  south  Atlantic  ports  of  the  construction  of  the 
intracoastal  waterway?  If  this  query  can  not  be  answered  in  favor  of  the  canal, 
the  project  is  admittedly  of  small  value.  Happily,  the  effect  of  the  canal  on 
transportation  rates  to  the  south  Atlantic  ports  would  be  so  far-reaching  in  its 
benefits  as  to  remove  all  doubt  as  to  the  value  of  the  canal  as  an  economy  of 
transportation. 

The  Erie  Canal  is  the  key  to  all  of  the  north  Atlantic  rates,  both  export  and 
inland.  This  is  recognized  by  everyone  at  all  familiar  with  the  rate  adjust- 
ments of  the  north  Atlantic  ports,  and  the  extension  of  an  inland  waterway 
south  would  be  in  effect  a  continuation  of  the  Erie  Canal,  and  what  this  facility 


60      INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 


lias  brought  to  the  north  Atlantic  ports  would  accrue  to  the  south  Atlantic 
ports  under  like  conditions.  We  are  not  unmindful  of  the  fact  that  the  ports 
south  of  New  York  in  the  north  Atlantic  group  enjoy  lower  rates  than  New 
York  itself,  but  this  fact  does  not  militate  against  the  soundness  of  the  conten- 
tion that  the  Erie  Canal  is  the  key  to  the  situation  and  made  possible  the  origi- 
nal New  York  rate,  and  the  present  adjustment  of  rates  between  New  York  and 
its  southern  rivals  in  the  north  Atlantic  group  is  due  to  causes  wholly  remote 
from  the  influence  of  the  Erie  Canal  and  are  of  comparatively  recent  date. 

Fourth.  Under  the  present  system  of  water  rates  from  the  northern  to  the 
southern  ports  the  blanket  system  prevails,  as  is  demonstrated  by  the  fact 
that  the  rate  from  New  York  to  Wilmington,  N.  C,  by  water  is  substantially 
the  same  as  from  New  York  to  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  and  intermediate  points  from 
Wilmington  to  Jacksonville.  Moreover,  and  speaking  specifically  in  reference  to 
Wilmington,  the  rail  lines  refuse  to  pro  rate  with  water  lines  through  these 
ports  on  any  equitable  division  of  revenue,  exacting  from  water  lines  for  the 
nearest  rail  point  the  full  revenue  accruing  to  the  rail  line  as  would  obtain 
under  all-rail  shipments  from  same  point  of  origin.  The  effect  of  this  is  to 
limit  the  benefits  of  water  transportation  to  the  ports  themselves,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  hamper  and  retard  the  commercial  development  of  the  ports. 

Fifth.  With  the  construction  of  the  intracoastal  waterway  and  the  extension 
of  the  canal  rate  to  southern  ports,  the  effect  would  be  to  put  the  southern  ports 
on  a  virtual  parity  with  the  northern  ports  in  the  all-important  overland  traffic 
from  the  West  and  in  inland  rates  through  the  ports,  and  with  this  an  accom- 
plished fact  the  arbitrary  discrimination  which  now  divides  the  Atlantic  ports 
into  a  northern  and  a  southern  group  would  forever  disappear.  This  is  the 
arbitrary  work  of  the  railroads  and  can  only  be  undone  by  water  competition. 

The  Panama  Canal  is  a  national  undertaking  and  is  justified  on  no  other 
ground  than  of  a  nation-wide  be:  "fit.  Under  the  present  adjustment  of  rates 
between  the  North  Atlantic  and  South  Atlantic  ports  the  latter  would  share  in 
no  benefits  of  the  Panama  Canal,  because  commerce  moves  on  economic  lines 
and  not  on  sentiment.  The  present  discrimination  against  the  South  Atlantic 
ports  in  favor  of  the  northern  ports  could  have  no  other  effect  than  to  confine 
and  limit  the  great  benefits  of  the  Panama  Canal  to  the  North  Atlantic 
and  Gulf  ports,  and  to  avert  such  an  injustice  to  South  Atlantic  ports  and  the 
interior  territory  which  would  base  on  these  ports  by  reason  of  geographical 
proximity,  the  Government  is  under  every  consideration  of  fairness  bound  to 
adopt  and  put  through  any  measures  of  relief.  The  intracoastal  canal  would 
solve  the  problem,  and  while  this  canal  could  not  be  completed  as  early  as  the 
Panama  Canal,  the  fact  that  the  project  had  been  approved  and  entered  upon 
by  the  Government  would  in  all  probability  cause  the  railroads  serving  these 
southern  ports  to  anticipate  the  effect  of  the  completion  of  the  canal  by  gradual 
reduction  in  rates. 

The  question  is  of  momentous  consequence  to  the  South  Atlantic  ports,  and 
the  project  would  meet  the  demand  of  Congress  that  waterways  shall  produce 
their  greatest  economic  efficiency,  which  condition  can  not  be  realized  as  long 
as  the  railroads  control  or  hinder  the  actual  and  potential  economies  of  water 
transportation,  which  is  notoriously  the  situation  in  the  South  Atlantic  States 
to-day. 

In  conclusion  it  may  be  said  that  the  effect  of  the  canal  from  Beaufort  to 
the  Cape  Fear  River  would  be  to  relieve  shipping  from  the  dangers  of  Frying 
Pan  Shoals.  This  may  appear  on  the  first  thought  to  be  purely  a  matter  of 
local  concern,  but  as  a  matter  of  fact  it  is  quite  the  contrary.  Unless  the  dan- 
gers of  the  coast  be  protected  by  an  inland  waterway  between  the  points  named 
there  would  be  no  possibility  of  a  canal  south  of  the  Cape  Fear  River  which 
could  procure  a  continuous  and  practicable  watercourse  to  the  north. 
Yours,  truly, 

J.  A.  Taylor. 

Mr.  H.  B.  Branch, 

Secretary  Chamber  of  Commerce,  Wilmington,  N.  C. 


letter  of  mr.  edgar  d.  williams. 

December  14,  1912. 
My  Dear  Sir:  I  beg  to  call  your  attention  to  the  great  distance  of  Frying 
Pan  Shoals  to  Cape  Fear  Bar,  where  the  lightship  is  moored,  to  the  end  of  Fry- 
ing Pan  Shoals — 22  miles  from  the  bar  to  the  lightship;  85  miles  from  Frying 
Pan  Lightship  to  Cape  Lookout 


ESTTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C.,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  61 


During  ray  experience  of  47  years  in  the  towboat  business  on  the  coast  and 
Cape  Fear  River  I  have  known  vessels  bound  north  to  lay  in  harbor  at  South- 
port  for  12  to  15  days  waiting  for  favorable  wind  to  proceed  on  their  voyage. 
This  was  on  account  of  the  prevailing  wind  in  the  winter  time,  which  is  from 
the  north  to  northeast,  and  it  is  only  the  large  class  of  vessels,  say,  from  600 
to  1,000  tons,  that  will  venture  out  and  make  any  headway  along  the  coast 
bound  north. 

We  have  no  inlets  from  Beaufort  to  the  Cape  Fear  Bar  of  any  note  and  with 
any  depth  of  water ;  vessels  can  scarcely  make  harbor.  With  the  New  Inlet 
near  Fort  Fisher  we  did  an  immense  trade  with  eastern  counties,  vessels  of  a 
small  class  bringing  corn  to  this  port. 

Of  course,  this  inlet  being  north  of  the  Frying  Pan  Shoals,  vessels  with  a 
northerly  wind  can  track  the  land  up  as  far  as  Beaufort ;  as  it  is  now  this  class 
of  vessels  would  not  take  the  risk,  as  it  would  be  too  hazardous  on  account  of 
Frying  Pan  Shoals. 

We  beg  to  call  your  attention  again  to  the  great  advantage  this  port  would 
have  by  the  increase  in  commerce  by  having  this  inland  waterway  to  come  by 
or  near  Wilmington,  as  I  am  sure  that  it  would  increase  our  trade  and  com- 
merce considerably. 

There  have  been  numerous  vessels  of  different  classes  lost  on  the  coast  from 
Cape  Lookout  to  Frying  Pan  Shoals  and  on  the  Frying  Pan  Shoals  of  late  years, 
with  their  cargoes  and  no  tidings  of  their  crews. 

You  will  please  note  the  charts  from  Cape  Hatteras  to  Cape  Romain,  S.  C.T 
Frying  Pan  Shoals  extending  a  greater  distance  than  either  Hatteras  or  Cape 
Lookout. 

The  distance  from  Cape  Hatteras  Lighthouse  to  lightship  being  14  miles, 
Cape  Lookout,  or  Hatteras,  to  Lookout  Lightship  is  13^  miles ;  from  Cape  Light- 
house or  Cape  Fear  Bar  to  Frying  Pan  Lightship,  on  the  end  of  the  shoal,  is 
22  miles,  and  more  dangerous,  in  my  experience,  than  either  Cape  Lookout  or 
Cape  Hatteras. 

Yours,  very  respectfully,  Edgar  D.  Williams, 

Master  and  Pilot. 

Mr.  M.  W.  Divine, 

President  Inland  Waterways  Association,  City. 


LETTER  OF  MR.   WM.  L.  DE  ROSSET. 

Wilmington,  N.  C,  December  Iff,  1912. 

Mr.  Hugh  MacRae,  City: 

Without  any  extended  explanation,  etc.,  I  am  desirous  of  laying  before  your 
committees  information  for  presentation  in  behalf  of  the  continuation  of  the 
inland  waterways  to  our  city. 

Sailing  vessels  loaded  with  cement  have  been  chartered  on  the  basis  of  20 
cents  per  barrel.  Due  to  the  hazardous  risk  and  the  loss  of  three  or  four  cargoes 
of  cement  the  past  year,  the  rate  of  freight  has  increased  to  32  to  35  cents, 
and  charters  are  difficult  to  make  at  that.  A  year  ago  cement  sold  at  $1  per 
barrel  net ;  to-day  it  is  $1.30  per  barrel  net,  and  hard  to  get  at  that. 

Using  barges  through  the  inland  waterways,  I  should  think,  would  materially 
reduce  the  risk  of  cargo  and  vessel  as  well  as  life,  and,  of  course,  naturally  re- 
ducing the  cost  of  cement  to  the  consumer.  The  same  principle  would  apply  to 
many  other  commodities. 

With  best  wishes  for  your  committee's  success,  I  am, 

Yours,  very  truly,  Wm.  L.  de  Rosset. 


62      INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 


STATEMENT   FURNISHED   BY    ME.   THOMAS   PURSE,   SECRETARY    SAVANNAH   BOARD  OF 

TRADE. 

Inward  and  outward  tonnage  and  valuation  of  commerce  by  water  at  the  port  of 
Savannah,  Ga.,  calendar  year  1911. 


Received. 

Departed. 

Short  tons. 

Value. 

Short  tons. 

Value. 

576,607 

$6,279,562 

574,867 

$82,028,929 

531,665 
229, 410 

75,496,430 
2,492,625 

501,833 
275, 285 

71, 260, 2SQ 
2,064,636 

761,075 

77,989,055 

777, 118 

73,324,922 

Inward  and  outward  tonnage,  inland  waterways,  139,500  tons,  valued  at 
$6,609,000. 


Short  tons. 

Value. 

Tonnage  and  valuation  of  commerce  inward  and  outward,  1911  

2,954,814 
2,920,060 

$246,678,077 
224,512,440 

Greatest  draft  arrived,  1911,  26  feet  3  inches.  Greatest  draft  cleared,  1911, 
27  feet  7  inches.   Amount  of  duties  collected,  1911,  $81,777.78. 

Thomas  Purse,  Secretary. 

Savannah  Board  of  Trade, 

December  2,  1912. 


savannah,  ga. 

As  indicative  of  the  rapid  growth  of  the  shipping  business  of  this  port,  in 
consequence  of  gradually  increasing  depth  of  channel,  the  following  figures 
are  given  to  show  the  relative  position  of  principal  export  ports  of  the  Atlantic 
coast,  with  gain  and  loss  of  commerce,  for  the  fiscal  year  ended  June  30,  1912, 
as  compared  with  1909,  a  period  of  four  years: 


Exports. 

1912 

1909 

Gain. 

Gain. 

$812,897,414 
104, 288, 887 
92, 034, 875 
68, 875,300 
69,667,494 

$607,239,481 
50, 900,  itf6 
77,550, 658 
84,286,440 
76, 157,558 

$205,657,933 
53,388,731 
14, 484, 217 
15,411,140 
6,490, 064 

Per  cent. 
33^ 
104J 
18| 
1183 

Philadelphia  

Boston  and  Charlestown,  Mass  

1  Decrease. 


Savannah's  exports  for  the  year  1910  were  $63,428,155 ;  for  1911,  $72,076,045. 

The  1912  record  places  Savannah  in  fourth  place  in  all  the  United  States, 
the  order  being  New  York,  New  Orleans,  Galveston,  Savannah. 

Savannah's  imports  also  show  steady  growth,  Government  figures  for  fiscal 
year  ended  June  30  being  as  follows:  1909,  $2,152,441;  1910.  $3,855,373;  1911, 
$5,296,746;  1912,  $5,130,979. 

The  arrival  book  in  the  United  States  customs  office  at  Savannah  show 
total  arrivals  in  port,  all  classes,  foreign  and  coastwise,  year  ending  August  31, 
1912,  1,354,  an  average  of  113  vessels  each  month, 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  63 


Similar  records  show  vessels,  coastwise,  cleared  through  customs  at  Savannah, 
year  ending  August  31,  1912,  as  follows: 


Vessels. 

Net 
tonnage. 

Average. 

741 

1,955,953 
1.579.099 

Tons. 
2,640 
2,593 

609 

The  harbor  master's  report  for  calendar  year  1911 
riving  Savannah  as  follows : 

shows 

total  vessels  ar- 

Vessels. 

Net 
tonnage. 

American: 

Steamers  

789 

1,886,573 

Sail  

181 

112, 184 

720, 742 
3,451 
23,806 

Foreign: 

Steamers  

315 

Sail  

5 

18 

Total  

1,308 

2,746, 756 

Right  here  should  be  considered  statement  furnished  by  Mr.  Thomas  Purse, 
secretary  of  the  Savannah  Board  of  Trade,  covering  "  inward  and  outward 
tonnage  and  valuation  of  commerce  by  water  at  the  port  of  Savannah  for  cal- 
endar year  1911." 

Cotton  receipts  at  Savannah  for  the  year  1911-12  were  uplands,  2,329.076 
bales;  sea  islands,  63,105  bales. 

The  growth  and  prestige  of  Savannah  has  been  largely  the  result  of  her  port 
and  shipping  business,  therefore  facts  indicative  of  this  growth  are  of  interest. 

Census  1910  showed  65,064  population,  not  embracing  a  manufacturing  settle- 
ment since  taken  into  the  city  and  other  contiguous  suburbs  which  at  this 
time  give  a  total  estimated  population  of  100,000. 

She  has  7.11  square  miles  territory  in  city  limits.  Street  mileage  150  miles. 
Paved  streets  December  31,  1911,  50.57  miles.  House  drainage,  51  miles.  Storm 
drainage,  28  miles.    Trolley  mileage,  city  and  suburban,  58.15  miles. 

City  taxable  values  1911,  $51,171,691.  New  improvements  1911,  taxable  valu- 
ation, $866,400. 

Six  railroads  with  total  mileage  16,482  miles.    Terminals  include  about  3,000 

acres  of  land  and  trackage  150  miles. 

Coastwise  steamship  lines  with  regular  schedules,  passenger  and  freight : 
Ocean  Steamship  Co.,  3  ships  each  way  weekly,  between  Savannah  and  New 

York ;  2  ships  each  way  weekly  between  Savannah  and  Boston ;  total  tonnage, 

35,815  tons. 

Merchant  &  Miners'  Transportation  Co.,  3  ships  each  way  weekly  between 
Savannah-Jacksonville  and  Baltimore;  3  ships  each  way  weekly  between 
Savannah  and  Philadelphia. 

Also  numerous  small  steamboats  plying  near-by  waterways. 

Post-office  receipts,  year  ending  June  30 — 


1909   $218,543 

1910   232  254 

1911   248.979 

1912   263,  9S2 

Banking  institutions,  figures  of  July  12,  1912;  Number  18;  paid  in  capital 
surplus  and  undivided  profits,  $9,154,124 ;  deposits,  $24,421,987. 

Bank  clearings : 

1909   $240,227,835 

1910   271,  994,  461 

1911   291,172,893 


Savannah  has  never  had  a  bank  failure. 


64      INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  Cv  TO  KEY  WEST,  ELA. 


PROBLEM  AFFECTING  HUMAN  WELFARE. 

Sir:  In  advocating  the  building  of  the  intercoastal  canal  it  is  difficult  to 
assemble  and  to  present  what  are  often  termed  "  fixed  facts."  The  engineering 
data  is  of  course  accurate,  and  the  estimate  of  approximate  cost  can  be  relied 
on :  but  when  we  speak  of  the  value  of  the  canal  and  its  importance  to  present 
and  future  generations  we  can  not,  in  reaching  a  wise  conclusion,  be  dogmatic ; 
because  we  are  dealing  with  things  not  proven.  We  must  make  use  of  prophetic 
vision  as  well  as  sound  judgment. 

If  the  project  under  consideration  is  to  be  a  factor  in  great  growth  and  de- 
velopment, then  we  must  necessarily  be  optimistic  as  to  the  possibilities  of  that 
growth  and  development. 

It  may  be  considered  that  any  great  work  to  be  undertaken  requires  optimism 
to  the  extent  of  having  faith  in  the  future.  Pessimism  is  fatal  to  great 
enterprises. 

What  I  have  to  say  therefore  in  regard  to  this  canal  project  is  from  the 
standpoint  of  believing  absolutely  in  its  importance  as  a  national  work,  and  in 
the  benefits  that  will  follow  in  the  development  of  commerce,  industry,  and  agri- 
culture ;  in  the  increase  of  wealth  and  the  advancement  of  civilization ;  not  only 
in  the  immediate  territory  which  the  canal  will  serve,  but  also  in  a  very  much 
larger  area  which  will  receive  sympathetic  stimulation. 

This  intercoastal  canal  will  be  of  direct  service  to  a  group  of  States  which 
are  far  from  being  developed  to  their  maximum  possibilities,  but  which  have  re- 
markable potential  wealth. 

It  seems  that  there  are  three  great  beneficial  influences  that  would  be  ex- 
erted by  this  intercoastal  canal :  First,  its  effect  in  stimulating  ocean  commerce : 
second,  the  development  of  the  coastal  section  which  it  traverses ;  and,  third, 
its  influence  on  the  reduction  of  freight  rates  on  heavy  commodities.  These 
three  distinct  lines  will  prove  to  be  reciprocal  and  each  will  greatly  contribute 
to  the  growth  of  the  others. 

As  to  the  benefit  to  ocean  commerce  it  is  evident  that  the  class  of  freight 
conveyers  which  can  handle  the  heavy  commodities  at  the  lowest  rates  are 
not  available  now  to  any  extent  for  business  along  the  South  Atlantic  coast. 
The  dangers  in  rounding  Cape  Hatteras  and  the  Frying  Pan  Shoals  and  the  long 
reaches  which  it  is  necessary  to  make  from  one  port  of  safety  to  another  are 
prohibitive.  The  use  of  small  craft  and  of  barges  would  be  safe  under  con- 
ditions which  permitted  of  fair-weather  travel  for  distances  of  40  to  50  miles 
from  one  harbor  of  refuge  to  another;  but  it  would  be  quite  unsafe  for  this 
same  class  of  craft  to  attempt  voyages  which  required  remaining  at  sea  for 
distances  of  from  100  to  300  miles.  It  might  be  said  that  the  dangers  from 
storms  increase  as  the  squares  of  the  distances  to  be  traveled  under  conditions 
of  exposure. 

In  illustration  of  this,  a  case  was  mentioned  to  me  within  the  last  few  days 
by  a  man  who  ships  large  quantities  of  cement  from  northern  ports  to  Wil- 
mington. He  stated  that  three  ships  carrying  cement  had  been  lost  off  Hat- 
teras, and  the  freight  rate  was  immediately  raised  from  20  to  30  cents  per 
barrel,  or  an  increase  of  50  per  cent.  Now,  cement  is  a  commodity  which  moves 
in  large  volume  and  can  easily  be  handled  in  barges.  If  these  barges,  upon  the 
approach  of  bad  weather,  could  seek  the  protection  of  an  inland  waterway  and 
the  dangers  of  storms  be  eliminated  the  freight  rates  would  be  much  lower. 

Another  illustration  of  the  importance  of  safety  to  small  craft  is  seen  in  the 
fact  that  35  years  ago  Wilmington  had  a  very  large  business  with  the  eastern 
coast  of  North  Carolina,  and  all  of  the  freight  was  carried  in  small  sloops, 
known  as  "  corn  crackers."  These  "  corn  crackers  "  usually  brought  in  cargoes 
of  corn  or  other  country  produce,  and  carried  back  merchandise  and  fertilizers, 
these  small  vessels  could  go  in  and  out  of  several  inlets  along  the  coast,  and 
in  case  of  storms  were  not  necessarily  exposed  to  danger.  They  came  through 
New  Inlet,  of  Cape  Fear  River,  which  at  that  time  was  open.  When  New  Inlet 
was  closed,  in  order  to  deepen  the  harbor,  that  trade  at  once  became  extinct, 
due  largely,  if  not  entirely,  to  the  fact  that  the  small  craft  in  which  that  coast- 
ing business  was  necessarily  done  could  not  afford  to  take  the  danger  of  ex- 
posure in  going  the  long  route  around  Frying  Pan  Shoals.  On  the  other  hand, 
Wilmington  has  maintained  a  very  profitable  business  in  the  direction  of  Little 
River,  where  these  small  craft  can  go  with  perfect  safety.  This  traffic  with 
small  craft  would  spring  up  again  if  the  facilities  were  provided  by  an  inland 
canal.    An  example  of  this  can  be  seen  in  the  traffic  of  this  kind  which  comes 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY  BEAUFORT,  N.  C.,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  65 


to  Norfolk,  Portsmouth,  and  Baltimore,  near  which  cities  there  are  large  bodies 
of  inland  water  which  can  be  safely  navigated  by  small  craft. 

As  to  the  adjacent  coastal  country,  we  believe  that  the  canal  would  have  a 
most  important  influence.  This  coastal  country  for  a  distance  inland  of  50  to 
70  miles  is  very  rich  agriculturally,  but  much  of  it  is  wholly  undeveloped ;  and 
if  this  cheap  means  of  transportation  was  provided  for  the  crops,  it  would  re- 
sult in  thousands  of  farmers  settling  on  these  fertile  lands  of  the  coastal  plain 
and  the  development  of  the  wealth  of  that  region.  This  in  turn  would  stimulate 
the  growth  of  towns  and  manufacturing  centers  and  thereby  increase  the  traffic 
on  the  canal,  on  the  ocean,  and  also  on  the  railroads. 

For  several  years  I  have  been  making  a  study  of  the  agricultural  possibilities 
of  lands  typical  of  the  coastal  plain  between  Norfolk  and  Jacksonville,  and 
have  formed  the  opinion  that  no  part  of  the  United  States  presents  a  better 
field  for  development  than  that  section.  It  has  a  combination  of  the  three 
fundamental  things — excellent  soil  types,  temperate  climate,  and  abundance  of 
rainfall — surpassing  in  this  combination  any  other  part  of  the  country.  All 
Jhat  is  needed  is  a  stimulant  in  the  way  of  good  transportation  facilities. 

As  to  the  effect  on  the  railroads,  it  is  a  recognized  fact  that  the  rail  rates 
are  governed  by  competing  water  rates.  It  is  far  more  effective  and  probably 
better  where  possible  to  influence  rail  rates  favorably  by  some  natural  competi- 
tion than  by  arbitrary  legislation. 

The  capital  invested  in  the  main  railroad  systems  serving  the  Southern 
States  and  touching  at  the  southern  ports  must  approximate  six  or  seven 
hundred  million  dollars.  If  an  investment  of  $31,000,000  in  an  intracoastal 
canal  will  build  up  water  transportation  so  as  to  have  a  decided  influence  on 
the  rates  charged  by  the  great  railroad  systems,  certainly  the  amount  of  money 
invested  in  the  canal  would  seem  to  be  small  as  measured  by  the  results  ob- 
tained; but  I  believe  that  this  result  could  be  accomplished  with  even  less  ex- 
penditure, and  that  an  investment  of  $6,000,000  would  bring  about  many  of  the 
advantages  desired  and  would  prove  beyond  question  the  importance  of  the 
greater  project  and  would  justify  the  investment  of  the  additional  $25,000,000. 

If  the  present  canal  is  extended  from  Beaufort  into  the  Cape  Fear  River  at 
Wilmington,  at  a  cost  of  $4,300,000,  and  the  canal  completed  between  Charleston 
and  Jacksonville  at  the  very  moderate  cost  of  $1,700,000,  as  estimated  in  the 
Engineers'  Report,  it  will  connect  up  the  point  of  greatest  traffic  in  Florida — 
Jacksonville — with  Fernandina,  Brunswick,  Savannah,  and  Charleston  (all 
great  shipping  points),  and  would  connect  Fayetteville,  Wilmington,  Newbern, 
Norfolk,  Richmond,  Baltimore,  and  Washington,  leaving  only  a  short  stretch  of 
comparatively  safe  coast  between  Charleston  and  Wilmington  without  the 
canal.  On  this  very  short  stretch  there  are  two  harbors  of  safety — George- 
town, 45  miles  distant  from  Charleston,  and  Little  River,  60  miles  distant  from 
Georgetown  and  40  miles  distant  from  Southport.  This  zone  of  danger  would 
be  insignificant,  as  compared  with  the  exposures  now  necessary.  The  amount 
of  canal  completed  at  present  is  not  sufficient  to  induce  the  building  up  of  com- 
merce in  small  craft.  Therefore  freight  is  carried  from  the  northern  ports  out- 
side to  the  southern  ports  in  ships  which  are  large  enough  to  navigate  with 
comparative  safety.  Even  then  we  must  consider  that  every  ton  of  freight 
moved  in  the  South,  either  by  rail  or  water,  pays  its  tribute  to  the  dangers  of 
Cape  Hatteras  and  Frying  Pan  Shoals.   This  is  too  much. 

The  farmer  who  is  unwilling  to  plow  the  ground  certainly  can  not  look  for- 
ward to  planting  a  crop ;  and  we  are  all  accustomed  to  the  idea  that  a  "  man 
who  does  not  sow  can  not  reap."  Similarly,  if  there  are  great  possibilities  of 
development  along  the  southern  coast,  and  we  do  not  take  the  steps  to  stimulate 
these,  there  will  be  no  successful  reaping.  We  must  remain  in  truth  a 
"  frontier." 

To  illustrate  that  vast  developments  sometimes  grow  from  improvements  to 
navigation  we  can  point  to  what  has  occurred  near  London  and  on  the  River 
Clyde.  A  Scotch  lady  (Mrs.  Alexander  Sprunt,  the  mother  of  our  esteemed 
townsman,  Mr.  James  Sprunt)  once  told  me  that  when  she  was  a  girl  only 
fishing  smacks  about  the  size  of  our  "corn-crackers"  could  get  up  as  far  as 
London  and  only  the  same  class  of  vessels  could  enter  the  Clyde  above  Glas- 
gow. To-day  the  greatest  steamships  of  the  world  are  built  on  the  upper 
Clyde.    Clipping  dated  London,  November  30,  inclosed.1 


lNot  printed, 

H.  Doc.  229,  63-1  5 


66     IN  TRAC 0 AST AL  WATERWAY — BEAUFORT,  N.  C,  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA. 


The  Aquitania  and  her  launching  above  the  city  of  Glasgow  could  not  have 
been  dreamed  of  at  the  time  that  fishing  smacks  were  the  largest  craft  on  that 
river;  and  while  one  would  now  hesitate  to  make  comparisons  of  what  the 
results  would  be  along  the  southern  coast  if  given  an  impetus  by  the  building 
of  this  canal,  it  would  not  be  unreasonable  to  expect,  along  certain  lines,  some 
very  great  development. 

It  is  often  said  that  the  Erie  Canal  made  New  York.  In  this  brief  statement 
no  one  supposes  that  all  of  the  business  of  New  York  came  from  the  Erie  Canal. 
The  canal  simply  gave  New  York  the  impetus  and  acted  as  a  stimulant  to  cer- 
tain lines  of  business,  which  reacted  favorably  on  other  conditions,  bringing 
about  an  enormous  concentration  of  business  at  that  point.  Now  all  classes 
of  business  are  so  great  in  New  York  that  the  Erie  Canal  can  almost  be  over- 
looked except  for  its  probable  continued  beneficial  influence  on  freight  rates. 
The  Erie  Canal,  far  from  hurting  the  railroads,  has  greatly  helped  them  by 
aiding  in  the  increase  of  all  classes  of  business.  The  same  thing  would  un- 
doubtedly occur  in  the  South  and  the  railways  would  gain  far  more  than  they 
would  lose. 

To-day  the  barge  service  between  Wilmington  and  New  York  is  only  possible 
in  large  seagoing  barges,  and  the  freight  rate  is  about  $5  to  $5.50  per  thousand 
feet  of  lumber.  Newbern  is  at  the  present  time  putting  lumber  on  barges  of 
moderate  size  and  cost  suitable  for  the  canal  service  and  delivering  it  in  Balti- 
more at  about  $2.50  per  thousand  feet. 

The  canal  if  extended  from  Beaufort  to  Wilmington  would,  in  the  opinion 
of  those  who  are  engaged  in  business  which  would  be  affected  and  who  have 
given  this  matter  study,  bear  large  quantities  of  lumber,  grain,  anthracite  coal, 
cement,  fertilizing  materials,  and  general  merchandise,  the  latter  especially 
from  the  Baltimore  market.  At  the  present  time,  while  Baltimore  should  be 
one  of  the  best  markets  for  the  coast  of  North  Carolina  south  of  Beaufort,  and 
while  a  business  could  be  built  up  which  would  in  a  measure  govern  the  rates 
on  business  done  with  other  large  commercial  centers  both  east  and  west,  there 
is  practically  no  business  done  with  Baltimore  by  water.  If  heavy  commodities 
were  moved  from  Baltimore  through  the  canal  to  Wilmington  and  other  points 
south,  it  would  bring  about  competition  from  the  coal  fields  of  southwestern 
Virginia  and  the  grain  fields  of  the  Central  States  direct  to  all  of  the  southern 
ports,  and  the  canal  rate,  combined  with  the  rate  to  Baltimore  from  the  West, 
would  naturally  be  the  basis  of  rates  made  by  the  other  routes. 

It  has  been  pointed  out  that  after  the  intracoastal  canal  is  completed  the 
barges  used  on  the  Erie  Canal  and  other  canals  in  the  North,  which  are  frozen 
in  winter,  will  be  available  during  the  winter  months  for  traffic  in  the  southern 
canal. 

During  prosperous  times  the  railroads  are  congested  with  heavy  freight  which 
is  relatively  unprofitable,  and  this  canal  route  would  tend  to  relieve  this  con- 
gestion and  in  reality  would  help  the  railroads  by  developing  the  classes  of 
business  which  could  afford  to  pay  higher  rates. 

A  great  factor  in  the  development  of  some  sections  is  the  influence  of  tourists 
and  those  who  travel  for  pleasure.  California,  Florida,  and  western  North 
Carolina  have  been  particularly  benefited  by  this  tourist  travel.  The  influence 
of  pleasure  travel  can  also  be  plainly  seen  along  certain  portions  of  Chesapeake 
Bay  and  in  southern  Maryland.  The  building  of  this  canal  would  turn  a  steady 
stream  of  travel  up  and  down  the  southern  coast  and  would  cause  the  rapid 
development  of  the  opportunities  which  are  there  presented  to  the  investor. 

It  was  impossible  for  any  man  to  forecast  accurately  the  effect  of  the  Suez 
Canal.  It  is  now  impossible  to  estimate  in  advance  the  full  outcome  from  the 
traffic  of  the  Panama  Canal.  Both  of  these  great  works  were  probably  initiated 
by  dreamers,  but  no  one  can  now  question  their  importance  to  the  commerce  of 
the  world. 

If  the  inland  waterway  builds  up  local  or  zone  traffic,  it  will  induce  through 
traffic  in  large  volume.  If  Baltimore,  Richmond,  and  Norfolk,  which  are  now 
in  great  measure  cut  off  from  the  South,  are  given  easy  and  safe  access  to  the 
cities  of  Jacksonville,  Savannah,  and  Wilmington  by  water,  the  stimulation  to 
commerce  will  be  tremendous.  These  trade  centers  will  be  developed  and  will 
in  turn  be  contributors  of  through  freight. 

Fortunately  the  section  of  this  canal  which  would  cost  the  least  would  pro- 
duce the  greatest  and  most  immediate  growth  of  commerce,  would  give  the 
facilities  needed  to  the  most  important  ports,  and  would  eliminate  the  greatest 
dangers  to  small  shipping.  It  would  prove  at  this  time  a  great  factor  in  taking 
care  of  the  new  life  to  be  stirred  by  the  completion  of  the  Panama  Canal. 


INTRACOASTAL  WATERWAY — BEAUFORT,  N.  Cv  TO  KEY  WEST,  FLA.  67 

This  canal  would  be  supplemental  to  and  make  more  effective  many  of  the 
large  projects  which  have  been  completed  or  to  which  the  Government  is  com- 
mitted.   It  connects  at  will  with  400  miles  of  navigable  water. 

It  seems  that  an  initial  investment  of  $6,000,000  and  the  probable  future 
investment  of  $25,000,000  is  a  conservative  expenditure  in  order  to  insure  the 
miracle  of  development  which  would  surely  follow  as  the  result  of  this  under- 
taking. We  feel  that  these  States  and  their  ports  are  entitled  to  this  considera- 
tion in  the  great  general  scheme  of  public  improvements  which  are  undertaken 
throughout  the  country  for  the  public  benefit. 

Gen.  Wm.  H.  Bixby, 

Chief  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army. 


INDEX. 


Adopted  routes,  detailed  description  of:  Pago. 

Beaufort-Cape  Fear  River   24-26 

Cape  Fear  River-Little  River   26-27 

Charleston  Harbor-Savannah  River   31 

Fernandina-St.  Johns  River   33 

Indian  River-Key  West   35-36 

Little  River-Winyah  Bay   27-29 

St.  Johns  River-Indian  River   33-35 

Savannah  River-Fernandina   31-32 

Winyah  Bay-Charleston  Harbor   29-30 

Alternative  routes: 

Beaufort-Cape  Fear   20-21 

Biscayne  Bay-Key  West   24 

Cape  Fear-Winyah  Bay   21-22 

Charleston  Harbor-Savannah  River   23 

Indian  River-Biscayne  Bay   24 

St.  Johns  River-Indian  River   23-24 

Savannah  River-St.  Johns  River   23 

Winyah  Bay-Charleston  Harbor   22-23 

Appropriations,  as  recommended   52 

Barges,  types   37 

Basins,  turning,  proposed   38 

Beacons: 

Proposed   39 

Unit  cost   ,  40 

Bear  Bluff,  S.  C,  locks  at   29 

Beaufort-Cape  Fear  River  section: 

Alternative  routes   20-21 

Detailed  description  of  adopted  route   24-26 

Estimate  of  cost   40-41 

General  description  of  coast   19 

Beaufort,  N.  C,  commerce  of   46 

Biscayne  Bay,  Fla.,  commerce  of   48 

Biscayne  Bay-Key  West  section: 

Alternative  routes   24 

Detailed  description  of  adopted  route   36 

Estimate  of  cost   44 

General  description  of  coast   20 

Board  of  engineer  officers  (special): 

Order  convening   18 

Report  on  10-foot  depth   18-55 

Report  on  7-foot  depth   55-57 

Board  of  Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors,  report  of: 

On  10-foot  depth   11-17 

On  7-foot  depth   17-18 

Boats,  types   37 

Bridges: 

Proposed  types   39 

Unit  cost   40 

Brunswick,  Ga.,  commerce  of   47 

Calabash  River,  N.  C,  dam  at   27 

Canals,  private   53 

Cape  Fear  River,  dikes  in   26 


69 


70  INDEX, 

Cape  Fear  River-Little  River  section:  Page. 

Detailed  description  of  adopted  route   26-27 

Estimate  of  cost   41 

Cape  Fear  River- Winyah  Bay: 

Alternative  routes. .„   21-22 

General  description  of  coast  : . . .  19 

(See  also  Cape  Fear  River-Little  River  and  Little  River-Winyah  Bay). 

Carolina  Beach  Crossing,  N.  C   26 

Carolina,  North: 

Description  of  coast   19 

Local  commerce   45-46 

Through  commerce   49 

Carolina,  South: 

Description  of  coast   19 

Local  commerce   46-47 

Through  commerce   49-50 

Charleston  Harbor-Savannah  River  section: 

Alternative  routes   23 

Detailed  description  of  adopted  route   31 

Estimate  of  cost   42 

General  description  of  coast   19 

Charleston,  S.  C: 

Local  commerce   46-47 

^  Through  commerce   49-50 

Chief  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army,  letter  of   9-11 

Coast,  South  Atlantic,  general  description: 

Beaufort-Cape  Fear   19 

Biscayne  Bay-Key  West   20 

Cape  Fear-Winyah  Bay   19 

Jupiter  Inlet-Biscayne  Bay   20 

St.  Johns  River-Jupiter  Inlet   19-20 

Winyah  Bay-St.  Johns  River   19 

Commerce: 

Local  commerce — 

Florida   47-49 

Georgia   47 

North  Carolina   45-46 

South  Carolina   46-47 

Through  commerce- 
Charleston,  S.  C   49-50 

Jacksonville,  Fla   50-51 

Savannah,  Ga   50 

Wilmington,  N.  C   49 

Commodities.    (See  Commerce  and  locality  in  question.) 

Completion,  time  of,  recommended   52 

Congaree  River,  S.  C.,  local  commerce  of   47 

Conway,  S.  C,  lock  and  dam  at   29 

Cost.    (See  Estimates.) 

Costs,  relative,  of  10  and  12  foot  depths   37 

Costs,  unit   39-40 

Crescent  Lake  route,  Fla   23 

Cross  section,  proposed   36-38 

Dams: 

Costs   40 

Types   38-39 

Dams,  at — 

Calabash  River,  N.  C  1   27 

Davis  Creek,  N.  C   27 

Elizabeth  River,  N.  C.   26 

Lockwood's  Folly  River,  N.  C   27 

Pireway,  N.  C   28 

Shallotte  River,  N.  C   27 

Davis  Creek,  N.  C.,  dam  at   27 

Depth,  proposed,  for  canal   36-38 

Comparative  cost  of  10  and  12  foot  depths   37 

Cost  of  7-foot  depth   55-57 


INDEX.  71 

Dikes:  Page- 
Cape  Fear  River   26 

Santee  River  ,   30 

Dimensions  proposed  for  canal : 

Depth   36-38 

Side  slopes   38 

Structures   38-39 

Turning  basins   38 

Width   38 

Drainage   54-55 

Elizabeth  River,  N.  C,  commerce  of   46 

Lock  and  dam  in   26 

Engineers,  Chief  of,  letter  from   9-11 

Estimates  of  cost: 
By  section — 

Beaufort^Cape  Fear  River   40-41 

Cape  Fear  River-Little  River...   41 

Charleston  Harbor-Savannah  River   42 

Fernandina — St.  Johns  River   43 

Hawk  Channel-Key  West   44 

Indian  River-Hawk  Channel   43-44 

Little  River-Win  yah  Bay.   41 

St.  Johns  River-Indian  River   43 

Savannah  River-Fernandina   42 

Win  yah  Bay-Charleston  Harbor   42 

For  7-foot  depth   55-57 

For  10-foot  depth   40-44 

Maintenance   44 

Summary  of  the  estimates   44 

Unit  costs — 

Beacons   40 

Bridges   40 

Contingencies   40 

Dams   40 

Excavation   39-40 

Locks   40 

Rights  of  way   40 

Training  walls   40 

Excavation,  unit  costs   48 

Fernandina,  Fla.,  commerce  of   48 

Fernandina-St.  Johns  River  section: 

Detailed  description  of  adopted  route   19 

Estimate  of  cost   43 

Flood  control   54 

Florida: 

Description  of  coast   19-20 

Local  commerce   47-49 

Through  commerce   50-51 

Florida  East  Coast  Canal   35,  53 

Freight.    (See  Commerce.) 

Georgetown,  S.  C,  commerce  of   50 

Georgia: 

Description  of  coast   19 

Local  commerce   47 

Through  commerce   50 

Great  Peedee  River,  S.  C,  local  commerce   47 

Hawk  Channel,  Fla   20,  24,  36,  44 

Hewletts  Creek  Crossing,  N.  C   25-26 

Indian  River-Biscayne  Bay  section: 

Alternative  routes   20 

Detailed  description  of  adopted  route   34-35 

Estimate  of  cost   43-44 

Indian  River,  Fla   20,  23-24,  35,  43-44 

Jupiter  Inlet-Biscayne  Bay,  general  description  of  coast   20 

Kearney  Line,  N.  C   20-21 

Key  West,  Fla.,  commerce  of  j   48 


INDEX. 


Lake  Harney,  Fla.,  commerce  of                                                         23  33*-3»4 

Lake  Shad-Salt  Lake  route   23-24 

Land,  to  be  purchased.    (See  Rights  of  Way.) 

Legislation  recommended   55 

Little  River,  S.  C. ,  commerce  of   46 

Little  River-Winyah  Bay  section: 

Detailed  description  of  adopted  route   19 

Estimate  of  cost  ]  [ .  41 

Livingston  Creek-Juniper  Creek  route   21-22 

Locks: 

Dimensions   38 

Type  I!;!;;;!!;*";;;.*";  38 

Unit  cost   40 

Locks  at — 

Bear  Bluff,  S.  C   29 

Conway,  S.  C   29 

Elizabeth  River,  N.  C  ] "  26 

Salt  Lake,  Fla  ]'m  34 

Wacamaw  Crossing,  S.  C   29 

Lock  sections,  water  supplies  for: 

Cape  Fear-Little  River  section   26-27 

Little  River-Winyah  Bay  section . ,   27-28 

Lockwoods  Folly  River,  N.  C: 

Commerce  of   46 

Dam  in   27 

McClellanville,  S.  C,  local  commerce   46 

Maintenance,  estimated  cost  of   44 

Maps,  list  of   5 

Material,  to  be  excavated.    (See  detailed  description  of  locality  in  question.) 
Military  use : 

Depth  required  for   38 

Prospective   51 

Naval  use : 

Depth  required  for   38 

Prospective   51 

Newbern,  N  C,  commerce  of   45 

New  River,  N.  C.,  commerce  of   46 

North  Carolina: 

Description  of  coast   19 

Local  commerce   45-46 

Through  commerce   49 

Oklawaha  River,  Fla.,  commerce  of   48 

Orange  Mills  Flats,  Fla.,  commerce  of   48 

Order  convening  the  board   18 

Palatka,  Fla.,  commerce  of   48 

Peedee,  Great,  River,  S  C,  commerce  of   47 

Phillips  Line,  N.  C: 

Interior   21 

Shore   21 

Pireway,  S.  C: 

Dam  at   28 

Feeder  canal   28 

Reservoir   28 

Prism,  proposed  for  canal   37 

Private  canals   53 

Recommendations: 

Appropriations   52 

Drainage   54-55 

Flood  control   54 

Form  of  legislation   55 

Of  Board  of  Engineers  for  River  and  Llarbors — 

On  10-foot  depth   11-17 

On  7-foot  depth   17-18 

Of  Chief  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army   9-11 

Of  special  board   51-52 

Right  of  way   54 


INDEX.  73 

Recommendations — Continued.  Page. 

Terminals   54 

Time  of  completion   52 

Water  power   54 

Worthiness  of  improvement   51-52 

Reservoir  at  Pireway   28 

Rights  of  way: 

Cession  of   54 

Unit  cost   54 

Routes  adopted,  description  of: 

Beaufort-Cape  Fear  River   24-26 

Cape  Fear  River-Little  River   2<;-27 

Charleston  Harbor-Savannah  River   31 

Fernandina-St.  Johns  River   33 

Indian  River-Kev  West   35-36 

Little  River-Winyah  Ray   27-29 

St.  Johns  River-Indian  River   33-35 

Savannah  River-Fernandina   31-32 

Winyah  Bay-Charleston  Harbor   29-30 

Routes,  alternative: 

Beaufort-Cape  Fear  River   20-21 

Biscayne  Bay-Kev  West   24 

Cape  Fear  River-Winyah  Bay   21-22 

Charleston  Harbor-Savannah' River   23 

Indian  River-Biscayne  Bay   24 

St.  Johns  River-Indian  River   23-24 

Savannah  River-St.  Johns  River   23 

Winyah  Bay-Charleston  Harbor   22-23 

St.  Johns  River,  Fla  : 

Commerce  at  Orange  Mills  Flats   48 

Commerce,  Palatka  to  Lake  Harney   48 

St.  Johns  River,  Fla.,  as  section  of  canal   33-35 

St.  Johns  River-Indian  River  section: 

Alternative  routes   23-24 

Detailed  description  of  adopted  route   33-35 

Estimate  of  cost   43 

St.  Johns  River- Jupiter  Inlet,  description  of  coast   19-20 

St.  Lucie  Inlet,  Fla.,  commerce  at   48 

Salt  Lake,  Fla.,  lock  at   34 

Salt  Lake  route   23-24 

Santee  River,  S.  C,  commerce  of   47 

Savannah,  Ga.: 

Local  commerce   47 

Through  commerce   50 

Savannah  River   31 

Savannah  River-Fernandina  section: 

Alternative  routes   23 

Detailed  description  of  adopted  route   31-32 

Estimate  of  cost  fc   42 

Scotts  Hill  Crossing,  N.  C  m   25 

Secretary  of  War,  letter  of  Acting   7 

Shallotte  River,  N.  C: 

Commerce  of  a   46 

Dam  in   27 

Shore  lines  (alternatives): 

Florida  1   23 

North  Carolina  :   20-21 

South  Carolina   22 

Side  slopes,  proposed   38 

Slopes,  side,  proposed   38 

South  Carolina: 

Description  of  coast   19 

Local  commerce  *.   46-47 

Through  commerce  *   49-50 


74 


INDEX. 


Structures,  proposed:  Page. 

Beacons   39 

Breakwaters   39 

Bridges.   39 

Dams   38-39 

Locks   38 

Training  walls   39 

Summit  levels,  water  supplies  for: 

Cape  Fear  River-Little  River  section   26-27 

Little  River-Win  yah  Bay  section   27-28 

Swansboro,  N.  C,  commerce  of   46 

Terminals,  recommendations  as  to   54 

Time,  recommended  for  completion   52 

Town  Creek  line   22 

Traffic,  present  and  prospective.    (See  Commerce.) 
Training  walls,  proposed: 

In  Cape  Fear  River   26 

In  Santee  River   30 

Type   39 

Unit  cost   40 

Turning  basins,  proposed  •   38 

Utilization,  prospective: 

Commercial   45-51 

Military   51 

Naval   51 

Vessels,  types  likely  to  be  used   37 

Waccamaw  Crossing,  locks  at   29 

Waccamaw  River,  S.  C: 

Local  commerce  of   47 

Section  of  canal  .   29 

War,  Acting  Secretary  of,  letter  from   7 

Water  powers   54 

Water  supplies,  for  summit  levels: 

Cape  Fear-Little  River  section   26-27 

Little  River- Winyah  Bay  section   27-28 

Way,  right  of   54 

White  Oak  River,  N.  C,  commerce  of   45 

Widths,  proposed  for  canal   38 

Wilmington,  N.  C: 

Local  commerce   46 

Through  commerce   49 

Winyah  Bay-Charleston  Harbor  section: 

Alternative  routes   22-23 

Detailed  description  of  adopted  route   29-30 

Estimate  of  cost   42 

tVinyah  Bay-St.  Johns  River,  general  description  of  coast   19 

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